§ 31. Mr. Flanneryasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have not applied for their full allocation of cash for housing starts for the current year; how many authorities have not been granted the full amount they applied for; and if these authorities will be granted the unclaimed 569W cash to increase their number of housing starts.
§ Mr. FreesonAuthorities' aggregate bids amounted to nearly half as much more than the sum available for distribution and well above the likely outturn of expenditure last year. I am concerned about possible shortfall on expenditure, but it is too early to say which authorities will underspend this year. I have taken steps to ensure that resources are fully taken up nationally and to enable authorities to complete agreed programmes.