HC Deb 16 November 1972 vol 846 cc208-9W
39. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost to the Exchequer of improvement grants to private landlords in the latest available 12 months.

Mr. Channon

Grants paid to private owners during the 12 months ended 30th September, 1972, amounted to about £52 million. Information about the split of grants paid between owner-occupiers and landlords is not obtained from local authorities, but for numbers of grants approved it is about two to one. The Government bear three-quarters of the cost of each grant outside assisted areas and nine-tenths inside these areas, but the amount of the Government contribution is not known until after the local authorities have submitted claims for the financial year concerned.