HC Deb 15 December 1978 vol 960 cc653-4W
Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue guidance to local authorities and other interested bodies on the need to build houses with chimneys and to introduce schemes to convert chimneyless houses so that they will be able to use solid fuel.

Mr. Armstrong:

No. It is the policy of the Department that the choice of heating systems for both new and existing public sector housing, including the need for chimneys where necessary or desirable, is properly a matter to be decided by the individual housing authority concerned in the light of local needs and circumstances. In the case of private sector housing, this matter rests with the individual developer or home owner and I am years different percentages of relevant expenditure were met by Exchequer grants and in 1975–76 the resources element/ needs element ratio was changed. In 1979–80, for the first time, a proportion of each non-metropolitan county area's needs element grant will be paid to the districts within the county.

Mr. Wakeham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the amount and the amount per head of the population paid or payable to the county of Essex for the years 1973–74 to 1978–79 inclusive, both in real terms and adjusted to take account of the fall in the value of money since 1973–74.

Mr. Guy Barnett:

Payments of needs element of rate support grant and transport supplementary grants, which became payable in 1975–76, to Essex county council for the years 1973–74 to 1978–79, were as follows:

not convinced that there is a case for the Department to intervene.