§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will reply to the submissions made to his Department by the Housing Corporation in May 1978 requesting the renegotiation of scales of cost limits for housing improvement projects in most of Wales from its present position in category E; (2) under what powers he is enabled to alter the categories of scales of cost limits for housing improvement projects in Wales; (3) when he proposes to answer letters from the chairman of the Secondary Housing Association dated 22 March and 22 April of the current year, requesting the recategorisation of scales of cost limits for housing improvement projects in most of Wales from its present position in category E; (4) if he will recategorise the scales of cost limits for housing improvement projects in Wales.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe power to determine the maximum levels of costs applicable to housing association projects is in section 29 of the Housing Act 1974.
The Wales Office of the Housing Corporation, the Welsh Housing Associations Committee, the Secondary Housing Association and several other housing associations have made representations over some time that the categorisation of most of Wales into category E is unsatisfac- 160W tory. There has been frequent contact between Welsh Office officials and officers of these organisations over this period to seek detailed evidence to support the complaints. The last official communication on the subject was to the chairman of the Secondary Housing Association for Wales on 28 November last.
The specific question of recategorisation will be kept under review. The uplift of 15 per cent, effective from 12 October 1979, will be of help to all housing associations.