HC Deb 27 March 1974 vol 871 cc161-2W
Mr. Bates

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the following figures for each region of Wales: (1) the total number of dwellings at the latest date for which figures are available, (2) the number of dwellings which do not conform with the standard of fitness for human habitation as outlined in the Housing Act 1969, and (3) the number of dwellings cleared as slums in each of the last five years.

Mr. John Morris

Wales is not subdivided for the purpose of these statistics.

(1) In December 1973, the latest date for which figures are available, it is estimated that the total number of dwellings in Wales was 990,000.

(2) From the results of the 1968 Welsh House Condition Survey the number of dwellings in Wales in 1968 which did not conform to the standards laid down in the Housing Act 1957 was 91,900. It is unlikely that this figure would have been altered substantially by the standards laid down in the Housing Act 1969.

(3) The numbers of houses demolished or closed in Wales in each of the last five years are given below:

Year Numbers of houses demolished or closed in Wales
1969 2,284
1970 2,329
1971 2,594
1972 1,978
1973 2,028

Mr. Bates

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the following figures for each region of Wales: (1) the number of dwellings built in each of the public and private sectors in each of the last five years, and (2) the average cost of new dewllings in each of the public and private sectors at the latest date for which figures are available.

Mr. John Morris

Wales is not subdivided for the purpose of these statistics.

(1) The numbers of dwellings completed in the public and private sectors in each of the last five years are given in the table below:

Public Sector Private Sector Total
1969 7,998 9,306 17,304
1970 6,825 8,648 15,473
1971 5,927 9,174 15,101
1972 4,135 10,635 14,770
1973 3,377 10,957 14,334

(2) The average price of a new dwelling in the private sector in Wales in 1973 was £7,969. The average cost of construction of all dwellings in tenders approved by local authorities in the first half of 1973 in Wales was £4,843.