§ 20. Mr. Charles Irvingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions he has had with representatives of local authorities on the subject of local authority mortgages.
§ Mr. CroslandIn recent months my colleagues and I have received deputations from three local authorities. My officials have had frequent contact with the local authority associations, either collectively at meetings, or individually, as well as day-to-day contact with the local authorities themselves on matters of detail affecting their lending schemes.
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he remains satisfied that the new mortgage arrangements between building societies and local authorities are working satisfactorily; and how many individual complaints his Department has received regarding these arrangements.
§ Mr. FreesonThe Building Societies Association is meeting the local authority associations to discuss difficulties which have arisen so far. It is not surprising that there should have been some initial difficulties—leading to some 60 letters to the Department about particular local authority problems. But I am encouraged by the commitment of the building societies to help as much as possible, and their confidence that the money they have already agreed to make available will be taken up over the next few months.