asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the allocation of moneys from central Government to local authorities in Wales for mortgage lending in 1970, 1971 and in 1972.

The amounts made available to local authorities for lending for house purchase in these years were:

	£ million
1969–70	4
1970–71	10½

In 1971–72 restrictive allocations for this purpose were dispensed with. Local authorities may now lend free of financial limitations.During these three years, local authorities notified me that they had lent for house purchase alone—that is, not including conversions and improvements—the following amounts:

	£
1969–70	3,446,385
1970–71	7,404,338
1971–72	9,500,501