§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why, between August and October, the total number of housing starts was 14 per cent. below that in the previous year, completions were 13 per cent. down, council houses and housing associations starts were 25 per cent down and those finished were 16 per cent. down; and if he will take action to arrest this decline and restore house building to the 1978 figures or above.
§ Mr. StanleyIn the three months August to October private sector starts were 7 per cent. below those in the same period last year. The Government have already taken a number of steps to remove constraints on the work of private builders, and a number of other measures are under consideration. In the public sector it is for local authorities to determine what proportion of their capital382W allocation they use for new house building. This year authorities are devoting a higher share of their resources to improvement as opposed to new build than they did last year.