§ 41. Mr. Mahonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new houses or dwellings have been completed in the new Sefton District Council area since vesting day this year; how many will be completed in the whole first year of this council to 31st March 1975; what is the estimated housing programme for completion in the year 1975–76; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. KaufmanSefton District Council completed 102 dwellings between 1st April and 30th June this year. These are the latest figures available from the returns submitted by the council. I regret information on future completions by the council is not available.
§ 44. Mr Hastingsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what he intends 523W to do to ensure a stable housing programme; and whether he will make a statement on the supply of bricks.
§ Mr. KaufmanAs my right hon. Friend said in answer to Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Carter) and Bols-over (Mr. Skinner), on 13th November —[Vol. 881, c.382]—we are urgently considering what further initiatives we might take to improve the present unsatisfactory position on house building and, for the longer term, the Government intend to take action to secure a stable and adequate flow of mortgage funds.
Brick stocks at the end of October 1974 stood at 817 million which represents about two month' supply at current levels of demand, and we will continue to keep in close touch with the industry about the supply position.
§ 51. Mr. Radiceasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a further statement about the house building situation.
§ Mr. FreesonI regret that I cannot at this stage add to the answer my right hon. Friend gave on 13th November to my hon. Friends the Members for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Carter) and Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).—[Vol. 881, c.382–4.]
§ 66. Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what percentage private house building starts in Great Britain declined in the period July to September 1974 compared with (a) the previous three months, and (b) the equivalent period of 1973.
§ Mr. KaufmanTotal private housing starts in Great Britain in the period July to September 1974 were lower than starts in the periods April to June 1974 and July to September 1973 by 8 per cent. and 55 per cent. respectively, allowing for seasonal adjustments.
§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority dwellings, to the latest available date, are standing empty and awaiting modernisation in each of the metropolitan districts of Merseyside and Greater Manchester and the county districts of Cheshire and Lancashire.
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§ Mr. KaufmanThe management of council houses, including decisions as to whether to modernise them either with the tenants in occupation or by vacating them, is entirely a matter at the discretion of the local authority. There is no information available, therefore, as to the number of such houses standing empty at any given time awaiting modernisation or in the process of being modernised.
§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority dwellings received loan sanction from his Department in the North-West Region of England from 1st April 1974 to the latest available date; and what were the relevant figures for each of the last seven years.
§ Mr. KaufmanInformation in the form requested is not available. The nearest information that can be given covers the number of local authority and housing association dwellings, which received loan sanction, by the years the tenders were accepted. This information for the last seven years is:
1967 … 19,584 1968 … 25,598 1969 … 18,660 1970 … 15,128 1971 … 12,050 1972 … 10,195 1973 … 13,134 1974 to 28th November … 11,875
§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current average cost of modernising (a) a three-bedroomed pre-war council house and (b) a two-bedroomed pre-war council house in the North-West Region of England.
§ Mr. KaufmanAlthough approval is given to the estimated cost of modernising council dwellings the form of application does not readily identify different costs for two- and three-bedroom dwellings. Information as to the average cost of modernising each of these types of dwelling or the authorities incurring the highest and lowest average cost is not, therefore, available.
§ Mr. John Evansasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many designated slum clearance dwellings are awaiting clearance in each of the metropolitan districts of Merseyside and Greater 525W Manchester and the county districts of Cheshire and Lancashire.
§ Mr. KaufmanWhilst information is available to cover the number of unfit dwellings included in confirmed orders and the number of unfit dwellings demolished, it is not possible so to correlate this as to produce a record of how many dwellings are still awaiting clearance. The submission of orders and clearance of unfit dwellings is a continuing process; the situation changes from day to day, and information obtained from local authority returns would be immediately out of date. It is considered that little benefit would be obtained by requesting authorities to supply such additional details.
§ Mr. O'Halloranasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the policies of local authorities in England and Wales regarding the rehousing of single persons; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. KaufmanLocal authorities have a duty to ensure that suitable alternative residential accommodation is provided for all persons displaced by statutory action against the property in which they are living, where such accommodation is not otherwise available on reasonable terms. While we have no reason to believe local authorities are not meeting their obligations, we would look at any particular instances my hon. Friend has in mind.