§ Mr. TraceyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider permitting local authorities to give the same level of assistance to privately let housing schemes as the Housing Corporation is able to give to mixed-funding schemes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveLocal authorities wishing to provide assistance for privately let housing schemes may do so only with the Secretary of State's consent under section 25 of the Local Government Act 1988. Hitherto, that consent has not normally been given if the aggregate public sector assistance to the scheme in question would exceed 30 per cent. As from today that limit has been raised to match the higher limits for housing association grant from the Housing Corporation to mixed-funding schemes, announced on 3 March 1988, namely, in the range 50 to 75 per cent. according to area. These higher limits should help unlock more private finance for housing that can be let at rents within the means of the prospective tenants.