§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to approve grants under section 29(2)(d) of the Housing Act 1974 by the Housing Corporation to housing associations where the consolidation costs are in projects of multiple ownership.
§ Mr. Allan StewartThe Housing Corporation possesses delegated authority to approve costs for rehabilitation and other housing projects subject to indicative costs and any guidance provided by my Department. As I explained to the hon. Member in my written reply of 17 February—[Vol. 37, c.226]—it would 365W not be appropriate to frame a policy relating to the approval of consolidation costs on their own. I have however arranged for the Housing Corporation to prepare a statement of the general principles it proposes to apply in its considerations of schemes involving such costs, and I shall send the hon. Member a copy of the advice which the corporation issues to housing associations on this matter.