§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment in the light of the fact that many of the advances made by building societies in the first half of 1977–78 to local authority nominees in England were to people who successfully would have obtained mortgages from the building societies in any case, and that only one-third of the £157 million made available in advances has so far been approved, if he will publish details of the proportion of the £51.25 million approved which went to those on cheaper or older types of houses and to mortgagors on low incomes.
§ Mr. FreesonIn 1976, 40 per cent. of all building society borrowers had below average earnings, and 23 per cent. of all loans were for houses built before 1919. Detailed figures are not available for the support scheme, but I would expect the percentages to be higher.