§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is now the annual cost to public funds for each new house of each size built by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, taking into account rent received; what is the average annual cost over all publicly 319W owned dwellings in Northern Ireland; and what has been the total annual cost of all Housing Executive dwellings in each of the last three years.
§ Mr. David MitchellThis is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I am informed by the chairman that the annual cost to public funds based on contracts let by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive during the 12-month period ending 31 December 1980 for each size of new house built, taking into account rent received, was at current prices as follows:
£ 2-person 2,200 3-person 2,400 4-person 2,900 5-person 2,400 6-person 2,800 7-person 2,900 The annual cost to public funds of each new house of each size built by the Housing Executive has been calculated by taking the annual cost of the executive's loan charges—principal and interest—arising out of the capital cost of each type of dwelling—that is, contract price, site acquisition, fees, fluctuation, and so on—plus management and maintenance expenditure less the standard annual rent for each type of dwelling.
Information about the total annual cost of Housing Executive dwellings is contained in the annual reports of the executive which are available in the Library.
§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will indicate for the latest available period the average contract price of providing a publicly owned dwelling of each size normally built by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the highest and lowest contract price accepted for each type, the total cost to public funds of each such dwelling over the period of the repayment of the capital for each house and the economic rent of each such dwelling.
§ Mr. David MitchellThis is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I am informed by the chairman that the average contract price of each size of dwelling built by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in contracts let during the 12-month period ending 31 December 1980 and the highest and lowest contract price accepted for each type were as follows:
Dwelling Size Average Contract Price Highest Contract price Lowest Contract Price £ £ £ 2 person 14,100 18,400 9,500 3 person 16,100 24,200 10,900 4 person 19,500 26,700 11,200 5 person 17,500 29,800 11,400 6 person 19,900 23,400 14,300 7 person 20,800 26,000 13,200 The costs are based on tenders only, including the cost of external works and site development works but not the cost of fluctuations, site acquisition, professional fees, and so on.
The total costs to public funds over the period of repayment of capital costs cannot be calculated since this depends or the movement in rent levels over the period—25 years—which cannot be foreseen.
320WHowever, in round terms, the revenue cost in the first year and therefore the unsubsidised weekly rent would be as follows:
Dwelling Size Average Revenue Cost Unsubsidised weekly rent £ £ 2 person 2,700 51.92 3 person 3,000 57.69 4 person 3,600 69.23 5 person 3,200 61.53 6 person 3,600 69.23 7 person 3,800 73.07 The average revenue cost and unsubsidised rent for a new four person house is higher than those for a new five person house because most four person houses are built in redevelopment areas of Belfast where contract prices are higher.