§ 62. Mr. Wardasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the stress caused to lower income families in local authority and development corporation housing by expensive and unserviceable electric heating, he will consider changes in the housing cost yardstick and in the bids and spending procedures for current housing investment programmes which would allow the housing authorities to remedy such major design faults.
§ Mr. ArmstrongI am aware of the difficulties which fuel costs are causing, particularly to elderly or low income occupants of dwellings wholly dependent upon electricity for heating. As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction informed the meeting organised in the House by the National Right to Fuel Campaign last week, I have a number of measures under consideration and hope to be able to issue advice on measures to combat this problem shortly.