§ Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the effect the reduction in financial help from the Government to housing associations in England and Wales will have on the future employment of the specialist teams of construction workers employed by the associations.
§ Mr. StanleyThe cash allocation of £420 million to the Housing Corporation for 1980–81 announced by my right hon. Friend last February represented an 11 per cent. reduction on outturn expenditure in 1979–80. The £420 million allocation for 1980–81 has not been reduced, and this level of expenditure will be maintained in real terms for 1981–82 as a result of the allocation of £491 million that my right hon. Friend announced for next year on 15 December. This will be helpful to those in the construction industry who work with housing associations and who will also benefit from the new housing association improvement for sale scheme which has now come into effect.