HC Deb 26 March 1970 vol 798 cc542-5W
Mr. Woof

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average weekly increase in council house rents needed for existing dwellings, in shillings, on the basis that housing subsidies to Whickham Urban District Council are abolished, excepting old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction at 1st January, 1970.

Mr. Denis Howell

In the light of information provided by the council, I estimate that the cost to Whickham Urban District Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excepting old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, be equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 12s. 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If subsidies were withdrawn from dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970, the cost might be equivalent to rent increases in the range 65s. to 95s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or in the range 6s. to 9s. a week if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock.

Mr. Woof

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average weekly increase in council house rents needed for existing dwellings, in shillings, on the basis that housing subsidies to Ryton Urban District Council are abolished, excepting old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction at 1st January, 1970.

Mr. Denis Howell

In the light of information provided by the council, I estimate that the cost to Ryton Urban District Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excepting old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, be equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 7s. 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If subsidies were withdrawn from dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970, the cost might be equivalent to rent increases in the range 45s. to 65s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or about 1s. a week if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock.

Mr. Golding

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimates he has made of the average weekly increase in council house rents needed for existing dwellings, in shillings, on the basis that housing subsidies to Newcastle-under-Lyme Rural District Council are abolished, excepting old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction at 1st January, 1970.

Mr. Greenwood

In the light of information provided by the council, I estimate that the cost to Newcastle-under-Lyme Rural District Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excepting old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, be equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 9s. 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 40s. to 50s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings; the effect if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock would be negligible, as the Council had only five houses under construction on that date.

Mr. Golding

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average weekly increase in council house rent needed for existing dwellings, in shillings, on the basis that housing subsidies to Staveley Urban District Council are abolished, excepting old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction at 1st January, 1970.

Mr. Greenwood

In the light of information provided by the council, I estimate that the cost to Staveley Urban District Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excepting old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, be equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 7s. a week in a 52 week rent year.

There were no dwellings under construction at 1st January, 1970.

Mr. Golding

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average weekly increase in council house rents needed for existing dwellings, in shillings, on the basis that housing subsidies to Chesterfield Rural District Council are abolished, excepting old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction at 1st January, 1970.

Mr. Greenwood

In the light of information provided by the council, I estimate that the cost to Chesterfield Rural District Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excepting old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, be equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 8s. 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 40s. to 60s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings or below 1s. a week if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock.

Mr. Golding

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average weekly increase in council house rents needed for existing dwellings, in shillings, on the basis that housing subsidies to Chesterfield Council are abolished, excepting old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction at 1st January, 1970.

Mr. Greenwood

In the light of information provided by the council, I estimate that the cost to Chesterfield Borough Council of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excepting old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, be equivalent to an average increase in council house rents of about 9s. 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 40s. to 60s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or about 2s. a week if pooled over the whole of the authority's housing stock.

Mr. John Lee

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the increase to the rate for Reading on the basis that housing subsidies to the Reading Corporation are abolished, except old people's accommodation, and that the deficit so created is not passed on to tenants in the form of increased rents.

Mr. Greenwood

In the light of information provided by the council, I estimate that the cost to Reading Corporation of abolishing housing subsidies for existing dwellings, excepting old people's accommodation, would, in 1969–70, if not passed on to tenants in the form of increased rents, be equivalent to an 8½d. rate.