§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications he received from district councils in Wales during 1985–86 for special permission to use capital resources arising from the sale of council houses, in order to purchase houses from the public sector to let to people on the local housing waiting list; and if he will list these authorities together with the number of dwellings involved in each application, the numbers approved for each authority, and the capital expenditure entailed in these approvals.
§ Mr. Mark RobinsonLocal authorities are not required to seek consent to acquire houses for addition to their permanent rented stock provided that the expenditure is funded from the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts. However, special approval is required if a local authority wishes to borrow in order to meet such expenditure. During 1985–86 Preseli Pembrokeshire was the only local authority to seek special consent; loan sanction for the purchase of three dwellings was sought and approved, of which two purchases were completed at a total cost of £43,500.