HC Deb 30 June 1976 vol 914 cc163-4W
Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average construction cost of a SSHA four-apartment house in Ayrshire; what rate of interest is paid; what bearing this interest rate has on what would be the economic rent; and how much interest will be repaid over the lifetime of the loan charges.

Mr. Hugh D. Brown

The SSHA has no houses currently building in Ayrshire. The construction cost of a four-apartment local authority house in Scotland in 1975 averaged £10,770, excluding site servicing and fees. With these costs, loan charges—at the current rate of 14⅛ per cent. for SSHA borrowing from the National Loans Fund—might be around £1,700 a year, and the total interest payable over 60 years of the order of £90,000. An economic rent to cover this and management and maintenance costs might be £1,750-£1,800 a year.

Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average construction cost of a local authority four-apartment house in 1976; and how this compares with 1975

Mr. Hugh D. Brown

I have no later information than that given to the hon. Member for Western Isles (Mr. Stewart) on 29th June.—[Vol. 914, c.137.]

Mr. Sillars

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the economic rent of the average local authority four-apartment house in 1976; how much of this is payment of interest; and if he will show how 1976 compares with 1974.

Mr. Hugh D. Brown

For a house built in 1975–76, about £22 a week, of which £21 is in respect of loan charges, at an estimated pooled rate of local authority borrowing of around 10 per cent. The corresponding figures for 1973–74 are £12 and £11. Average figures for all four-apartment houses are not available.