§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to increase the provision of housing in rural Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristWe are encouraging local authorities in rural areas to use their considerable powers to provide homes for local people. Dwyfor district council has received additional allocations for this purpose totalling £0.5 million over the last three years. In addition, in approving the Housing Corporation's development programme, we have asked it to invest at least 25 per cent. of its increased allocation of £60 million in rural areas. Officials are discussing with the corporation and Mid Wales Development ways in which they can harness private finance to further increase the number of projects to provide housing for rent and low-cost home ownership schemes.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to increase the provision of housing in Mid Wales in relation to incoming industrial projects; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristMid Wales Development has its own programme to provide key worker housing to help attract incoming investment to its area and is considering ways it can use private finance to encourage additional provision. Mid Wales Development also has an agreement with the Housing Corporation for housing associations to provide a further 30 key worker houses per annum throughout its area.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of council and Mid Wales Development area houses completed for each of the years from 1979 to 1987 and the number of house starts in 1988–89 in the Mid Wales development area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristDetails of completions by local authorities and Mid Wales Development for the years 1979–1986 are published in "Local Housing Statistics," copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The figures for 1987 in the Mid Wales Development area are given in the following table. Figues for housing starts in 1988–89 are not yet available.
Completions in 1987—Mid Wales Development area Number Brecknock 25 Ceredigion 40 Meirionnydd 0 Montgomeryshire 8 Radnor 12 Mid Wales Development 0