§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total sum of money which has so far been approved for loan sanction for the purchase of second-hand and new dwellings, respectively, by local authorities under Circular 70/74; and what is the total number of dwellings in each case.
§ Mr. ArmstrongEnglish local authorities are estimated to have spent about £285 million on purchasing about 42,000 second-hand dwellings from April 1974 139W to December 1975; this includes acquisitions requiring individual loan sanction and those covered by the general consents granted in Circulars 70/74 and 64/75. In the same period, loan consents total-ling £127 million were given to local authorities for the acquisition of 12,500 new dwellings from private builders.