asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total estimated council house waiting list in Wales at the latest available date; how many new council houses are likely to be completed in 1982–83; and what is the estimate of the total number of relets that are likely to become available.

The most recent available information about council house waiting lists was given in paragraph 2.6 of the Welsh housing and dwelling survey 1978–79, which is available in the Library. In view of the new freedom of local authorities to choose their own priorities in the field of capital expenditure, it is not possible to make reliable estimates of future rates of completions of council houses, but the figure for 1982–83 seems unlikely to exceed 2,500. In 1980–81, the most recent year for which information is available, there were some 13,000–14,000 lettings by local authorities to new tenants, but it is not possible to estimate what the corresponding figure will be for 1982–83.