§ 30. Mr. Richardasked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what amount it is estimated that the number of council houses in the London Borough of Hammersmith will increase in the year 1971.
§ Mr. ChannonThe hon. Member should apply to the Council for this information. Only they can say with any certainty when the dwellings now under construction will be completed. The 355W Council will also be able to say whether they propose to buy any existing properties for occupation as they stand or by conversion.
§ 56. Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what application for loan sanction for the construction of local authority housing has been made by the London Borough of Wandsworth during each of the last three years; and what is the amount of money granted and the number of houses to be built.
§ Mr. ChannonLoan sanctions totalling over £14 million for the construction of more than 2,500 dwellings were made in this period.
Following is the information:
1968 … £4,960,787 937 dwellings 1969 … £1,814,197 361 dwellings 1970 … £7,437,833 1,389 dwellings 1971 to date … £335,662 25 dwellings
§ 71. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, as the housing situation in London is deteriorating, he will further discuss with the London boroughs means of stepping up local authority housebuilding in the capital.
§ Mr. AmeryI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his hon. Friend the Member for Feltham (Mr. Russell Kerr) earlier today.
§ 74. Mr. Leonardasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of public-sector housing starts for which he gave loan sanction in the London Borough of Havering in the years 1968, 1969 and 1970; and what is his estimate of the number for 1971, 1972 and 1973 for which he is prepared to give loan sanction.
§ Mr. ChannonFor details of public sector housing starts to date the hon. Member should contact the London Borough of Havering and the Greater London Council direct. The future level of building in the Borough, and elsewhere in London, is under discussion with the local authorities concerned.
§ 101. Mr. Molloyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of loan sanction for housing purposes which has been granted to the Lon- 356W don Borough of Ealing over the past three years; and how many houses have been built in the public sector during that period.
§ Mr. ChannonLoan sanction has been given for almost £9 million, and 2,311 dwellings have been completed.
§ 110. Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now make a further statement about the number of council houses to be put out to tender in the London Borough of Brent in 1971.
§ Mr. ChannonAccording to our latest information the London Borough of Brent propose to put out to tender approximately 2,000 dwellings in 1971.
§ 117. Mr. Mackieasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will discuss with the London Borough of Enfield the situation of more than 6,000 families on the housing waiting list in relation to the council carrying out its house-building programme, in view of the fact that of 1,293 programmed in 1969–70, only 888 were started, and of 791 programmed in 1970–71 only 456 were started, and of these only 100 in the last nine months.
§ Mr. ChannonMy Department is in regular touch with the Borough Council, and I was glad to learn that they plan to complete more than 4,000 dwellings in the next four years. This will be a welcome contribution to London's housing problem.
§ 116. Mr. Ronald Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the non-availability of four-bedroom and five-bedroom dwellings for families registered with high priority on the housing waiting list of the London Borough of Hackney, what steps he proposes to take to enable urgent action to be taken to remedy the situation.
§ Mr. ChannonThis is one of the problems which is being examined in the discussions currently taking place with the Council.
§ 120. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will hold discussions with the Greater London Council on ways of improving its housing programe.
357W
§ Mr. ChannonMy right hon. Friend is in continual touch with the Greater London Council on a whole variety of matters including its housing programme.
§ Mr. John D. Grantasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has been informed of the number of sites the London Borough of Islington has acquired for housing purposes in the years 1968, 1969 and 1970, and the cost in each year.
Mr. ChansonThe assembly of land for housing purposes is primarily a matter for the Borough, and the hon. Member should approach them for this information.
§ Mr. John D. Grantasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has been informed of the number of sites the London Borough of Islington expects to acquire for housing purposes in the years 1971, 1972 and 1973, and at what estimated cost in each year.
§ Mr. ChannonI cannot give exact particulars of sites, or their cost, but I understand that the Council already owns, or expects to be able to acquire, sufficient land to put approximately, 1,500 dwellings to tender in each of those years.
§ Mr. O'Halloranasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what specific action he proposes to take to assist the London borough of Islington to maintain its construction of council houses.
§ Mr. ChannonThe Department and this Borough are regularly and frequently in touch with a view to dealing with the specific problems which arise, and I hope that these close and friendly relations will continue.
§ Mr. O'Halloranasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of local authority completions of new houses in the London borough of Islington for the years 1963 to 1970; and what is the estimated amount for 1971.
§ Mr. O'Halloranasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of houses purchased and con- 358W verted by housing associations in the London borough of Islington during the years 1965 to 1970.
§ Mr. ChannonThis information is not available. Both the Islington London Borough Council and the G.L.C. enter into agreements with Housing Associations and the hon. Member should approach these authorities.
§ Mr. John D. Grantasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has now received from the London borough of Islington to his circular concerning the sale of council houses.
§ Mr. ChannonThe circular gives general consent to the sale of council houses and removing the restrictions applying previously in Greater London and other urban areas did not call for any reply.
§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about the latest figures published by his department for housing starts in Greater London.
§ Mr. AmeryThe decline in starts and in the number of dwellings put into tender over the last four years is disappointing. We are discussing with the London Authorities how that situation can be improved.
§ Mr. Richardasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of public-sector housing starts for which he gave loan sanction in the London Borough of Hammersmith in the years 1969 and 1970; and what is his estimate of similar starts for the year 1971.
§ Mr. ChannonThe Hammersmith Council hope to put 638 dwellings to tender in 1971 but only the Council can say the precise dates on which these dwellings will be started.
§ Mr. Ronald Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT on a borough basis for the Greater London area, the number of housing schemes for which he has given loan sanction, the number of dwellings involved in each scheme and the dates upon which building is to commence, for the municipal year 1970–71.
359W
§ Mr. ChannonThese figures are not available. Available statistics relating to housebuilding are contained in my Department's regular publications "Housing Statistics—Great Britain" and "Local Housing Statistics—England and Wales".
§ Mr. John D. Grantasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to assist the Greater London Council and the London Borough of Islington to acquire railway-owned land for housing purposes.
§ Mr. Graham PageBritish Railways already offer their surplus land in the first instance to local authorities.
The Leader of Islington Council recently wrote to me about railway sites in the borough, and I suggested the Council should clarify its needs in direct negotiations with the British Rail Property Board.
§ Mr. John D. Grantasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much railway-owned land has been acquired by the Greater London Council and the London Borough of Islington for housing purposes in the years 1968, 1969 and 1970; and at what cost in each year.
§ Mr. Graham PageI suggest that the hon. Member should ask the two councils for this information.
§ Mr. O'Halloranasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the London Borough of Islington regarding Government assistance towards the purchase of disused railway land for housing sites; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Graham PageThe Leader of Islington Council recently wrote to my right hon. Friend about railway sites in the borough and he suggested the Council should clarify its needs in direct negotiations with the British Rail Property Board.