§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new houses were started by housing associations in 1978–79, 1979–80 and are likely to be started in 1980–81; and if he will restore the housing association programme, at least to the minimum of 20,000 dwellings a year agreed with the Housing Corporation at the beginning of the current year.
§ Mr. StanleyThe number of new dwellings started in England by housing468W associations was 16,700 in 1978–79 and 13,300 in 1979–80. In the first two quarters of 1980–81 it was 6,900. Starts in the remainder of this year will depend on approvals given by local authorities and the Housing Corporation. These figures do not take account of schemes of rehabilitation as figures of starts for rehabilitated dwellings are not available. As my right hon. Friend announced in the House on 21 February, the cash allocation to the Housing Corporation for housing associations this year was £420 million and it was made clear to the corporation that this was its expenditure limit.