HC Deb 07 April 1976 vol 909 cc201-2W
Mr. Gordon Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the numbers of houses per 1,000 of population built in both the public and private sectors in each year from 1970 to date.

Mr. William Ross

The information is as follows:

New house completed per 1,000 population
Public sector Private sector
1970 6.7 1.6
1971 5.6 2.2
1972 3.9 2.3
1973 3.4 2.3
1974 3.3 2.2
1975 (provisional) 4.6 1.9

Mr. Gordon Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of dwellings per 1,000 of population as at the last most convenient date.

Mr. William Ross

About 360 dwellings per 1,000 population in Scotland, at June 1975.

Mr. Gordon Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated proportion of family expenditure on housing in the public and private sectors in 1974–75.

Mr. William Ross

The information is not available.

Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans the Scottish Special Housing Association has for modernising its housing stock in South Ayrshire; and if he will provide details of the capital expenditure earmarked for each village covered by a modernisation scheme.

Mr. William Ross

Major modernisation works to rehabilitate and improve structurally defective steel houses are planned by the Scottish Special Housing Association over the period to 1980 in Cumnock, Patna and New Dailly at estimated costs of about £1 million, £350,000 and £100,000 respectively. Other minor modernisation works estimated to cost about £200,000 are also planned in South Ayrshire in 1976–77.

Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland for how many years the Scottish Office has operated indicative costs procedure for local authority housing; and what alterations to indicative costs have been made in the past two years.

Mr. William Ross

Indicative costs for public sector housing were introduced in 1968. They are revised from time to time to ensure that they are kept in line with the general level of building costs. In the last two years I have announced two general increases in the published figures and also an additional cost allowance of £250 for small dwellings, as an encouragement to authorities to provide for the needs of smaller households.