§ Sir George Youngasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied with the current procedure for giving loan sanction to applications to purchase property by housing associations; and, if not, what proposals he has to improve the situation.
§ Mr. FreesonI am broadly content with the project approval procedures worked out by the Department, in consultation with the Housing Corporation and the National Federation of Housing Associations. But, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 7th January, there has been a steep rise in the number of applications for grant and loan approvals for housing association schemes financed by local authorities, and it is necessary to control the number of approvals in order to contain public expenditure within the provision and to ensure that resources are directed in to the areas of greatest housing stress.