asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the annual cost to the Exchequer of schedule A tax relief, at the current standard rate of income tax, on the sale of council houses assuming annual sales of 50,000, 100,000, 150,000, 200,000 and 250,000.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 December 1979]: I regret that I am not clear to which relief the right hon. Member is referring, but if his question relates to the amount of relief which might become due on interest pay- able on mortgages raised by purchasers of council houses, too many assumptions would have to be made for an estimate in the form asked for to be meaningful.