HC Deb 16 January 1978 vol 942 cc50-3W
Mr. Cowans

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the latest available national public and private housing returns; and how these compare with figures for the previous five years;

(2) if he will list the latest available housing returns, both public and private,

DWELLINGS STARTED AND COMPLETED: PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS 1972 TO NOVEMBER 1977
Number January to November
1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
GREAT BRITAIN
Started—
Public sector 122,980 112,820 146,760 173,850 170,910 124,720
Private sector 227,960 215,750 105,930 149,130 154,650 125,560
350,950 328,570 252,690 322,980 325,560 250,270
Completed—
Public sector 122,830 107,450 128,640 162,270 162,990 147,570
Private sector 196,460 186,630 140,870 150,750 152,180 127,280
319,290 294,080 269,510 313,030 315,170 274,850
NORTHERN REGION
Started—
Public sector 8,710 6,620 9,150 11,080 10,420 7,830
Private sector 11,070 12,850 5,400 7,300 8,050 6,750
19,780 19,470 14,550 18,380 18,470 14,580
Completed—
Public sector 8,120 6,650 9,100 9,600 11,480 8,580
Private sector 10,110 10,950 6,860 7,910 8,080 6,630
18,220 17,600 15,960 17,510 19,560 15,220

Mr. Beith

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what housing authority areas in the county of Northumberland he regards as having a concentration of housing needs sufficient to justify the special assistance referred to in his Department's recent statement on allocation for housing in the Northern Region.

Mr. Armstrong

Special consideration for the concentration of needs was primarily given to the partnership and programme authorities in the allocation of funds in the Northern Region. No authority in the County of Northumberland has received an allocation for 1978–79 that is smaller in real terms than its allocation for the current year.

Mr. Beith

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the allocation, to Alnwick District Council for new building and improvements for 1978–79 is nearly £1,000,000 short of the council's immediate needs for its programme of house building and improvements.

in the Northern Region; and how these compare with figures for the previous five years.

Mr. Armstrong

The information is as follows:

Mr. Armstrong

Alnwick District Council's allocation for 1978–79 is £1.8 million, compared with an allocation of £1.43 million for 1977–78 at the respective outturn prices for each year. Resources were not available to meet in full the Council's bid for next year, which would have represented an increase of more than 100 per cent. of this year's allocation.

Mr. Beith

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he gave to housing requirements arising out of the Rent (Agriculture) Act when he made his recent decisions on allocations for housing by local authorities for house building.

Mr. Freeson

Under the new system of housing strategies and investment programmes it is for local authorities, when making their annual submissions for housing cash allocations, to include provision for any special needs. Housing demand arising from the operation of the Rent (Agriculture) Act is only one of many elements which may affect housing requirements and all such elements are taken into consideration in deciding the allocation to be made to individual authorities.

Mr. Sainsbury

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will lay an order under the Housing Finance Act 1972 to provide for 100 per cent. of rent allowance subsidies to be borne by central Government in the year 1978–79.

Mr. Armstrong

My right hon. Friend will lay such an order very shortly.