§ 25. Mr. ChisholmTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of Scottish Office expenditure was spent on housing in(a) 1978–79 and (b) 1994–95. [29396]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonExpenditure on all housing including subsidies as a percentage of the Secretary of State's total net programme was 15.8 per cent. in 1978–79 compared with 4.9 per cent. in 1994–95; but such comparisons are misleading, since transfers of responsibility to the Secretary of State have significantly increased the overall size of the Scotland programme sine 1978–97. Support through subsidies has reduced and is principally provided through housing benefit which is now £834 million. Receipts applied to the programme have increased substantially, enabling total capital investment in housing last year to be greater than in 197897 in real terms.