§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of grant allocations to each local authority for 1985–86 under the homes insulation scheme, calculating for each authority the percentage increase or decrease on the 1984–85 grant.
§ Sir George YoungI refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 21 January at column316. It is misleading to make comparisons between the allocations for the years 1984–85 and 1985–86 on an authority by authority basis, since 25 per cent. of the allocation for 1985–86 is being held in reserve for distribution to authorities as justified by demand. Such comparisons would be further distorted by underspending in 1984–85, which is likely to amount to about £4 million.
§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the grants made under the 312W homes insulation scheme in 1984–85 he anticipates will go to householders increasing the amount of insulation rather than installing insulation for the first time.
§ Sir George YoungLatest figures indicate that during the second quarter of 1984–85, 11,000 grants were paid to householders topping up existing loft insulation, compared with some 49,000 grants to those installing insulation for the first time.
Since the homes insulation scheme was extended only to grant aid topping up on 20 July 1984, this ratio does not necessarily represent a reliable guide to the financial year as a whole.