§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the weekly increase in council house rents needed for existing dwellings in shillings on the basis that housing subsidies to the county borough of Bolton are abolished excepting old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970.
§ Mr. FreesonIn the light of information provided by the council I estimate that the cost to Bolton County Borough Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excluding old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, be equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 10s. a week, in a 52-week rent year. If subsidies were withdrawn from dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970, the cost might be equivalent to rent increases in the range 58s. to 70s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or in the range 2s. to 3s. a week if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock.