§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority housing schemes prepared before the publication of Circular 24/75 have been refused loan sanction on the grounds of excessive garage provision; and how many housing association schemes have been refused approval by the Housing Corporation on similar grounds.
§ Mr. ArmstrongNone, and I refute categorically recent suggestions in the Press that local authority housing schemes are being held up on these grounds. In some cases the Department may ask for reconsideration of garage provision, but only where this can be done without difficulty or delay. My concern continues to be that everything possible should be done to speed up the provision of houses.