§ 5. Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in the light of the current policies on public expenditure, what is his estimate of housing completions in 1976 and 1977 in (a) the public and (b) the private sector.
§ Mr. ShoreStarts and completions in the public sector are likely to be higher this year than last when they were 174,000 and 162,000 respectively. In 1977 starts will be lower but completions are again expected to exceed the 1975 figure. For the private sector, the July survey of the Private Enterprise Housing Enquiry showed that builders then expected more activity in the remainder of 1976 and in 1977 than in the comparable periods of 1975; another enquiry is currently being carried out.
§ 28. Mr. Bidwellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing completions were made for the last available quarter of 1976; and how that compares with the comparative quarters of 1974 and 1975.
§ Mr. FreesonProvisional seasonally adjusted figures for the quarter ending 30th September 1976 are now available. They show that new housing completions. both public and private sector, in Great Britain for this quarter, at 79,300, are 22 per cent. up on the comparable quarter of 1974 and 1 per cent. down on the same quarter for 1975.