HC Deb 21 December 1972 vol 848 cc427-8W
Mr. Galbraith

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what amount of subsidy will be lost in Glasgow because the local authority refuses to accept the new slum clearance subsidy introduced under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what amount of subsidy will be lost in Falkirk because the local authority is refusing to accept the new slum clearance subsidy introduced under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972;

(2) what amount of subsidy will be lost in Dundee because the local authority is refusing to accept the new slum clearance subsidy introduced under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Mr. Ewing

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much he expects to be paid in slum clearance subsidy to December 1972 to local authorities in the area covered by the South Angus constituency.

Mr. Sproat

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what amount of subsidy will be lost in Dunfermline because the local authority is refusing to accept the new slum clearance subsidy introduced under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Mr. Brewis

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what amount of subsidy will be lost in Kilmarnock because the local authority is refusing to accept the new slum clearance subsidy introduced under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

As I informed my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Edward Taylor) on 14th December, I cannot calculate a local authority's entitlement to slum clearance subsidy until I receive a claim based on the relevant expenditure actually incurred, and, local authorities have until 31st March 1973 to submit claims relating to the financial year 1971–72.—[Vol. 848,c. 226–7.]

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what reports he has received from the auditors of the Whitburn local authority about the failure of the authority to observe the law concerning their housing revenue account income;

(2) what report he has received from the auditors of the Whitburn local authority concerning alleged illegal expenditure by the authority in connection with the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

The appointed auditor gave me preliminary intimation on 11th October that Whitburn Town Council was not implementing the provisions of the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 regarding rents. He has not submitted an interim report in terms of Section 201 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the extra cost to ratepayers in Whitburn which has been incurred by the failure of the local authority to implement the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

Failure by Whitburn Town Council to implement the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 could cost ratepayers the equivalent of a rate of at least 15p in the £.