§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that local authorities should build for housing priority groups; what are now the priority groups; and to what extent it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to build for general housing need, excluding specified priority groups.
§ Mr. StanleyLocal authorities are aware of the view of my right hon. Friend that house building for rent in the public sector should be concentrated on meeting those needs which are unlikely to be able to be met other than by the provision of publicly rented accommodation. Ali far as general housing need is concerned, each authority is free to determine the balance it strikes between building for rent, building or improving for sale, and shared ownership schemes.