§ Mr. Sandelsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made towards the introduction of housing investment programmes which he has advocated as a system to replace the present arrangements for the allocation of local authority capital expenditure on housing.
§ Mr. ShoreThere has been a general welcome to the concept of housing investment programmes. Those programmes would enable local authorities to present coherent proposals for capital investment in housing having regard to the particular needs of their area. As a first step towards securing such an approach I propose to make block capital allocations for 1977–78 which will include an element of flexibility by enabling authorities to switch a proportion of expenditure from one heading to another and also to carry forward or anticipate expenditure within a defined limit. We are discussing these ideas with the local authorities' associations and intend to give fuller advice to all housing authorities shortly.