§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Waltham Forest Borough Council qualifies for special Government help to deal with problems of slum clearance, obsolescent housing and overcrowding.
§ Mr. AmeryThe Council does not appear to qualify for the supplementary subsidy under Section 5 of the Housing Subsidies Act, 1967. These are only payable to authorities who have an urgent need to build but who could not provide the houses without imposing an unreasonably heavy rate burden or charging unreasonably high rents.
Under the reform of housing finance, subsidies will be more closely related to the problems of slum clearance, obsolescence and overcrowding. The effect on individual authorites cannot be assessed until discussions with the local authority associations are completed.