Mr. Batesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what extra money has been made available for council house building since 1st March 1974; and how this has been taken up by local authorities.
§ Mr. FreesonSo far this year the number of dwellings in tenders accepted by English local authorities is 76,000 which will involve a total capital investment, at current average costs of construction, of about £630 million, excluding land. This is nearly 16,000 or 26 per cent. more than in the same period of 1973 and represents additional capital investment of about £135 million. No financial limit has been placed on house building by local authorities and I hope that the number of local authority housing starts will increase even further in 1975.