§ 8. Mr. Allan Robertsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the consequences of the recent announcement of cuts in the provision of finance for improvement and repair grants in the building industry.
§ Mr. GowExpenditure on improvement grants next year will depend on local authorities' own decisions as to how to spend their capital allocations and receipts. I hope that they will continue to give such investment high priority, and I expect spending to continue at levels significantly above those prevailing when we come into office.
§ 66. Mr. Woodallasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the loss of jobs consequent on the discontinuance of the retrospective allocation arrangements for improvement grants.
§ Sir George YoungI refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Roberts) earlier today.
§ 57. Mr. Hicksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the position of those local authorities who have exhausted their 1983–84 housing investment programme allocation yet still have applications outstanding for home improvement and repair grants; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungEach local authority has been given an indicative figure for expenditure this year on home improvement grants. Those which spend above that threshold on grants, and whose total expenditure exceeds their HIP allocations, have been assured of additional retrospective allocations. Authorities may therefore effectively spend without limit this year on home improvement grants but I recognise that some authorities already have large commitments for 1984–85. We have made it clear that the need for expenditure on grants will be taken into account in determining authorities' allocations. My right hon. Friend will announce those allocations shortly.