Mr. E. Hudson Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales what estimates he has made of the average weekly increase in council house rents which would be needed for existing dwellings on the basis that housing subsidies to Conway Borough Council were abolished, except old people's accommodation; and what is the estimated weekly increase in rents which would be needed to offset the subsidy on dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970.
§ Mr. George Thomas:I estimate from information supplied by the local authority that the cost to Conway 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 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If subsidies were withdrawn from dwellings under construction on 1st January, 1970, the cost might be equivalent to rent increases in the range of 42s. to 91s. a week if applied only to the rents of those dwellings, or in the range of 5s. to 7s. a week if pooled over the whole housing stock.