§ Mr. D. E Thomasasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the expenditure on improvement grants in (a) England and (b) each English region in the public and private sectors in each of the last five years; and what this represented in terms of expenditure per dwelling in each sector.
§ Mr. ArmstrongAvailable information is given in the following table. Figures for the fourth quarter of 1975 have not yet been finalised.
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North* Yorkshire and Humberside* East Midlands* East Anglia South East South West* West Midlands* North West* England Local authorities and housing associations 1971— Allowable cost (£000) … … … 14,452 4,472 3,173 829 15,442 2,905 5,092 6,040 52,405 Average per dwelling (£) … … 1,050 726 466 452 975 499 727 869 817 1972— Allowable cost (£000) … … … 50,107 25,259 6,940 1,447 17,928 3,813 7,417 22,459 135,371 Average per dwelling (£) … … 1,724 1,550 796 698 1,030 665 881 1,608 1,331 1973— Allowable cost (£000) … … … 33,247 33,831 9,319 1,601 20,487 4,976 10,093 51,218 164,773 Average per dwelling (£) … … 1,655 1,771 1,084 542 1,055 903 927 1,920 1,455 1974— Allowable cost (£000) … … … 16,598 19,216 6,139 1,260 25,130 4,251 8,466 27,637 108,698 Average per dwelling (£) … … 1,574 1,629 942 751 1,388 1,136 1,025 1,645 1,404 1975 First nine months— Admissible expenditure for housing subsidy or housing association grant (£000) … … … … 16,966 5,891 19,004 1,995 52,541 3,718 13,402 20,419 133,935 Average per dwelling (£) … … 3,973 2,635 2,908 3,844 8,587 3,106 3,177 3,900 4,416 Allowable cost represents 50 per cent. of the approved estimated cost of the works subject to specified limits. In the development and intermediate areas, it represents 100 per cent. of the approved cost. 660W
Private Owners 1971— Grants paid (£000) … … … 3,113 3,084 1,898 1,896 10,796 3,511 2,642 2,742 29,682 Average per dwelling (£) … … 362 248 232 376 406 410 319 210 327 1972— Grants paid (£000) … … … 9,583 6,850 3,104 2,302 16,449 5,800 4,601 7,864 56,552 Average per dwelling (£) … … 639 388 298 453 491 523 399 396 455 1973— Grants paid (£000) … … … 19,087 16,151 5,222 2,728 21,466 8,378 6,616 22,318 101,966 Average per dwelling (£) … … 825 617 446 529 588 656 475 610 614 1974— Grants paid (£000) … … … 28,743 29,454 8,589 2,748 20,487 11,254 7,888 39,397 148,560 Average per dwelling (£) … … 1,000 816 632 597 645 782 579 795 772 1975 First nine months— Grants paid (£000) … … … 5,327 6,855 3,700 2,165 11,862 4,721 5,399 8,375 48,404 Average per dwelling (£) … … 938 709 609 723 696 764 666 761 725 Grant is based on the approved cost of the work subject to certain specified limits. In development and intermediate areas the rate of grant was 75 per cent. and elsewhere 50 per cent. The current rates of grant are 75 per cent. in housing action areas, 60 per cent, in general improvement areas and 50 per cent. elsewhere * Higher rates of grant were payable for work carried out in local authority areas wholly or partly within development or intermediate areas, in these regions-during the period June 1971 to June 1974.