asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what price he recommends to the Commission for New Towns for the transfer of ownership of a house to a sitting tenant and to the local authority, respectively.

Current market value.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what facilities for mortgages are being offered by the Commission for New Towns to tenants wishing to purchase their homes.

My right hon. Friend recently reached agreement with the Building Societies' Association on joint arrangements for the financing of sales of Commission houses, and also those of development corporations. The Association have asked their members to see that first mortgages are available for not less than 70 per cent. of selling price or 75 per cent. of building society valuation, whichever is the lower. Corporations and the Commission will be encouraged to grant second mortgages, if necessary, sufficient to make up the full selling price.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now bring in legislation to disband the Land Commission.

No.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the cost of the average-priced new house for the latest convenient date; and what was the equivalent figure for 1964.

The average price of new dwellings mortgaged by private owners with building societies in Great Britain was £3,430 in 1964 and £4,730 in the year ending 30th September, 1969.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why information as to which local authorities use their own employees as valuation officers to value property which they compulsorily acquire is not available to his Department now, since it was given in detail on 20th June, 1967 in a Written Answer; and whether the information then given is still correct.

The information requested by the hon. Member on 16th December, 1969, is not available because no continuing record is kept of the practice of individual local authorities, which may vary from time to time. I cannot say whether the information given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in reply to the somewhat different Question which the hon. Member asked on 20th June, 1967, is still correct.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will publish as a White Paper the obiter dicta of two Lords Justices in the Court of Appeal in Young versus the Greater London Council censuring valuation officers employed by the London County Council for their conduct in valuing property acquired compulsorily by their employing authority.

No. The judgements are already available in published form and can be studied impartially by people who wish to draw their own conclusions from the decision reached by the court as well as the obiter dicta of the Lords Justices. Many people will not agree with the interpretation of the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government in what grade his Department has listed Scotland Yard.

The building by Norman Shaw is included in Grade I in the revised statutory list for Westminster now being issued.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government in view of the fact that the Sheffield City Council are satisfied the property should be demolished, and have decided that further expenditure could not be justified, if he will hold an inquiry into the future of the scheduled property known as Norwood House, Sheffield.

Yes. An inquiry will be held on 24th February.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what studies his Department has made with regard to the reclamation of derelict land for the purpose of house-building; and if he will make a statement.

The suitability of reclaimed land for housing or other beneficial use depends on a number of factors and my right hon. Friend has no reason to believe that local councils have neglected this possible supply of building land.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many acres of derelict land there are in the county of Lancashire; and what proposals for reclamation have been made to him.

The local planning authorities in Lancashire have classed some 11,000 acres of land as derelict and consider that about 8,670 acres justify treatment. Since 1st April, 1967 final approvals have been given allowing work to start on 513 acres at a cost of £1,040,000. Proposals covering a further 1,500 acres are being discussed with the local authorities.

BUILDINGS ERECTED BETWEEN 1919 AND 1939 THAT ARE TO BE INCLUDED ON THE STATUTORY LISTS OF BUILDINGS OF SPECIAL ARCHITECTURAL OR HISTORIC INTEREST
Note: The list is in chronological order
Building	Architect		Date
Memorial Hall, Bishops Stortford College, Maze Green Road, Bishops Stortford, Herts	Clough Williams Ellis	…	1922
Adelaide House, London Bridge, S.E.1	Sir John Burnet & Partners	…	1925
Houses and four cottages, Crittall's Estate, Silver End Garden Village, Witham, Essex	Thomas S Tait	…	1928
Royal Horticultural Hall, Vincent Square, S.W.1	Messrs Easton & Robertson	…	1929
"High and Over", Old Amersham, Bucks	Amy as Connell	…	1929
"Adling" (formerly New Farm), Grayswood, Haslemere, Surrey	Amyas Connell	…	1930

asked the Minister of Housing and Local overnment if he will state the acreage of land provided by the Land Commission since its inception for house building in the Greater London area.

I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to his Question on this subject on 18th November.—[Vol. 791, c. 1090.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what changes he proposes to approve in the pensions arrangements of local government officers in order to accommodate the Government's proposals for national superannuation.

When the local authorities after consulting staff representatives tell my right hon. Friend what changes they consider necessary, he will give them immediate consideration.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to bring the categories of listed buildings up to date in order to extend better protection to many of them than is conferred by the present category.

Yes. On the advice of the Listing sub-committee of the Historic Buildings Council I am adding a first group of buildings of the 1919 to 1939 period to the statutory lists.The following is the list of buildings:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to plant trees in built-up areas.

Under the Housing Act, 1969, local housing authorities may obtain grants for tree planting in general improvement areas. A manual which is being prepared for local authorities on area improvement will include a section on tree planting. A new and enlarged version of the Department's booklet "Trees in Town and City" is also being prepared.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what guidance the Land Commission have given on the question of levy on the sale of dwelling houses and their gardens.

The Land Commission has issued a Practice Note, Number 11, which deals with levy on dwelling houses with land attached, and I will send a copy of it to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has yet made any further allocation for lending on house purchase to the Exeter City Council.

When it became apparent in December last that some authorities were not likely to use up their quotas for house purchase loans during the current financial year, my right hon. Friend reallocated these amounts to other authorities, including Exeter City Council, who received an extra £60,000.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has reviewed local authority quotas for lending on house purchase that are not expected to be fully used by the end of the financial year.

My right hon. Friend has carried out this review, and as a result has been able to offer additional quotas to a number of authorities seeking some addition.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many water undertakings have made their reservoirs available for recreational use.

The figure taken from the British Waterworks Association's first annual recreational survey is 92. This represents about 90 per cent. of all the undertakings in England who have facilities to offer.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is satisfied that provisions for the preservation of mature trees on new housing estates are adequate; and if he will make a statement.

When granting planning permission local planning authorities are required under Section 12 of the Civic Amenities Act, 1967, to impose adequate conditions for the preservation of trees, where appropriate, and to make any necessary tree preservation orders. I have no reason to believe that these provisions are inadequate.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the number of conservation areas designated in Greater London.

By 20th January this year 24 London borough councils had notified my right hon. Friend of the designation of 136 conservation areas in Greater London.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice his Department has given to local authorities about the care and maintenance of trees for which they are responsible.

Local authorities have been advised to follow the appropriate British Standard. The Ministry's booklet "Trees in Town and City" also contains advice about the care and maintenance of trees. The booklet is being re-written and enlarged and will be re-issued.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what further action he has under consideration following the publication of Farm Buildings and the Countryside.

As a follow-up to the booklet "Farm Buildings and the Countryside" my right hon. Friend is arranging during this European Conservation Year a one-day conference to which farmers, manufacturers and planners will be invited.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what consideration he has given to the Fourth Report of the Estimates Committee on Housing Subsidies; and if he will make a statement.

The report contains many constructive suggestions and a helpful examination of current housing problems. These require careful examination which my right hon. Friends are at present undertaking. Meantime, they are pressing on with the comprehensive review of housing finance to which the Committee rightly attached importance.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is satisfied with the steps being taken to relieve pressures on national parks and areas of natural beauty in providing country parks under the Countryside Act; and if he will make a statement.

Satisfactory progress is being made. My right hon. Friend has approved for grant under the Countryside Act, 1968, eight country park schemes. The Countryside Commission have decided to recommend for grant another 13 and they have 93 more under consideration. Most of these parks should help to relieve the pressures on national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will obtain an early interim report from the Cohen Committee, in view of the decline in the activities of housing associations in recent months.

There is no decline in building by housing associations but a small increase, so no interim report is thus called for.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations he has received from council house tenants in Lancaster about discrimination by the Lancaster Corporation against council house tenants in respect of new heating appliances consequent on conversion to clean air; and what reply he has sent.

No representations have been made to my right hon. Friend on this matter by any council house tenant in Lancaster, but he will of course gladly look into any case that my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what report he has received from the Greater London Council relating to the construction of a Thames barrier; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give an estimate of the total Exchequer-borne cost of the proposed Thames flood barriers.

I would refer the hon. Members to the Answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Barking (Mr. Driberg) on 20th January.—[Vol. 794, c. 101–2.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the burden now anticipated on the ratepayers of Stockport, he will extend the proposed grant to cover the whole of the works on the 12 M Jespersen flats at Lancashire Hill; and if he will make a statement.

No; I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made on 19th January in reply to a Question by my right hon. Friend the Member for East Ham, North (Mr. Prentice). I have examined very carefully the representations made on behalf of the Stockport Corporation. I do not consider, however, that I would be justified in making special grant arrangements for the council's blocks of 6 storeys and under.—[Vol. 794, c. 57–8.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many cases were notified to him in 1969 of repossession by building societies and other money-lending organisations of mortgaged house property; and what was the total value of the property thus repossessed.

No such cases are notified to my right hon. Friend, and I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government in how many instances in 1969 did local authorities repossess from defaulting mortgagors houses being purchased from them on mortgage; and what was the total value of the property thus repossessed.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether the South Cross Route of Ringway I will be included within the scope of the public inquiry into the Greater London Development Plan.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress has been made in the detailed discussions about the provision of a single court sports hall at the Abbey Stadium, Redditch; and when he expects work to start on this project.

Further technical details submitted by the council are being examined, but I have agreed in principle that work on this scheme may be undertaken in the financial year commencing 1st April, 1970.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will introduce legislation so that those who improve their houses by introducing amenities such as central heating do not then suffer an increase in rates by allowing the owner-occupier either three years at the old rateable value or an offset in the year of the improvement of a portion of the cost against that year's tax bill.

No, my right hon. Friend has no present proposals for legislation on this subject but local Government finance is being reviewed in the context of the Report of the Royal Commission on Local Government. Tax relief is available in respect of interest on loans for house improvements. Any further tax concession would be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the cost of charging for the domestic consumption of water by means of using meters to measure the amount of water provided, in place of the present system of basing water rate demands on the rateable value of the property concerned.

The Sub-Committee on Water Charges of the Central Advisory Water Committee estimated in 1962 that it would cost £2 a year to meter a typical household supply, and it did not recommend it because the cost in relation to the cost of the supply would have been disproportionately large.A very recent estimate indicates that metering would add a sum of that order or possibly more to the average domestic bill for water, assuming that consumption remained the same.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) whether he will set up a committee of inquiry to examine the question of water rating and report on the possibility of introducing a method of charging for water that would reflect the real costs of providing water to different households;(2) what consideration he has given to taking steps to replace the present system of charging for water with one under which rates would be levied in accordance with the number of taps installed on a property rather than with its general rateable value.

These matters have already been examined by the Water Charges Sub-Committee of the Central Advisory Water Committee, which reported in 1963 that, all things considered, the water rate was the most suitable method of charging for household supplies. It considered, among others, a charge based on the number of water fittings, and concluded that it was not desirable. I do not think conditions have altered significantly since the sub-committee reported.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what grant aid has been given towards pigeon racing.

No grants have been given for pigeon racing under the Physical Training and Recreation Act, 1937.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is his estimate of the number of controlled tenancies which have been brought into the fair rent system by the Housing Act, 1969; and what are his proposals for dealing with the tenancies which are not brought into such system.

The estimate which was made at the time of the passing of the Housing Act, 1969, was that 400,000 controlled dwellings would be likely to qualify for entry into the fair rent system. This is still the best estimate we can make, and it is too early to judge its accuracy. My right hon. Friend has no proposals for dealing with those controlled tenancies which do not qualify under the Act.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what consideration he has given to the representations made to him on the Report on Reservoir Safety published by the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1966; and whether he intends to take action on any of the recommendations contained in the report.

Since taking over responsibility for this subject in September, 1969, my right hon. Friend and his right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales have discussed the report with the Institution of Civil Engineers with a view to the amendment of the Reservoirs (Safety Provisions) Act, 1930.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he proposes to announce his decision following the public inquiry held at Stanley, County Durham, on 10th and 11th June, 1969, into the proposals for alterations and additions to the County of Durham Development Plan and related matters.

My right hon. Friend expects to announce his decision within the next few weeks.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is now the current rate of interest charged by the Housing Corporation to housing societies; how this compares with that charge by building societies to housing societies; and if he will now take steps to ensure that the Housing Corpora- tion lends money at rates comparable to that loaned by building societies.

The current rate normally charged by the Housing Corporation is 8¾ per cent., which is ¼ per cent. above the rate recommended by the Building Societies Association. The corporation as second mortgagee is required by direction to charge ¼ per cent. above the rate being charged by the first mortgagee.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what schemes for reclamation of dereliction have been carried out in England during the years 1966 to 1969, inclusive; what acreage was involved; and at what cost.

I will, with permission, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT which will I think be helpful to my hon. Friend.Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has reached a decision on the applications for planning permission to mine potash within the North York Moors National Park.

My right hon. Friend has not yet completed his consideration of the important and complex issues involved.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the improvement in economic circumstances, he will now bring into force Part II of the Caravan Sites Act 1969.

The Secretary of State for Wales and I will be making an Order very shortly, as stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Orpington (Mr. Lubbock) on 27th January. It will bring Part II of the Act into operation on 1st April, 1970.—[Vol. 794, c. 312.]

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give details of prices given and asked for the sale of land in Northumberland during the past five years in regard to local authority purchases, and of prices paid by the Land Commission for purchases from nationalised industry and private developers and land-owners.

The information about local authority purchases is not available. The Land Commission has made one purchase in Northumberland; but it is not the practice to reveal the price paid by public authorities in particular transactions.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the progress made in dealing with the water problem presented by a deputation to his Department from the county borough of Tynemouth in the autumn.

Last November the river authority let a contract for investigating how the flow in the Tyne could be augmented by pumping water into it from mines, so that more water could be drawn from it lower down. The results of the investigation are expected to be known about the end of March this year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations he has received from the Countryside Commission with regard to holding up the start of work on the Meldon reservoir; and if he will make a statement.

In its statutory report for the year ended 30th September, 1969 (House of Commons Paper No. 45), the Commission suggested that the North Devon Water Board might find that its interests could be best served by its not proceeding with the scheme at Meldon which Parliament has authorised, relying instead on a share of the supply from a new reservoir at Townleigh, and finding other means of meeting its immediate needs. No doubt the board will consider whether its duties to its consumers allow it to defer construction at Meldon but this is not a course that my right hon. Friend could urge upon it.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the existing machinery to ensure the enforcement of building regulations with regard to fire precautions; whether he is satisfied that they are properly observed; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.

The building regulations, including those relating to structural fire precautions, are enforced by local authorities, under Part II of the Public Health Act, 1961. I believe fire regulations are properly observed and enforced, but if the hon. Member will send me particulars of cases on which he has doubts, I shall be glad to look into them.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will study the feasibility of introducing special low-cost housing projects on a co-operative basis for young married couples in areas of high density of unfit habitations or for married students, nurses teachers or employees of firms where the numbers of such couples living in close promiximity would justify such a project.

Co-ownership projects can already be submitted to the Housing Corporation. Costs have to be kept within reasonable limits for such projects to be viable, but I appreciate that such schemes might only partly meet the needs which my hon. Friend has in mind for extending housing association activity in this field. Local authorities have the powers to assist in this already.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what notification he has received from the National Board for Prices and Incomes following its inquiry into complaints made by consumers of water supplied by the Nene and Ouse Water Board; whether he is aware that the board has since 1966 increased its domestic charges by 50 per cent. to 4s. in the £ of rateable value; and whether he will make a statement.

The Prices and Incomes Board has not made any inquiry. I am aware that the water board has increased its domestic water poundage from 2s. to 2s. 6d. in April, 1966 and again to 3s. in April last year but I have no evidence that the board has disregarded the criteria for price increases.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will defer the enforcement of the No. 1 (Marlpool Farm Estate) Smoke Control Order 1963, due to come into force on 15th April, 1970, in view of the information contained in correspondence forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Ilkeston.

My right hon. Friend is prepared to consent to the coming into operation of this Order being deferred for a further twelve months.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if his new advice on planning control, Development Control Policy Note 11, Amusement Centres, to local authorities also includes licensed club premises, in view of the fact that these also impinge on nearby residential properties.

Policy Note 11 deals specifically with amusement centres and is not intended to apply to licensed club premises. More general guidance on nonresidential development in residential areas is given in Policy Note 2.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will reconsider his decision to allow the council to decide on a planning application for the building of a licensed club on Glenside Drive, Bolton, without requiring his approval, in view of the local objections and the nearness of such premises to residential property.

No. My right hon. Friend does not intervene in day-to-day planning control unless the circumstances are exceptional. Residents' objections were not overlooked, but this is essentially a local issue and, as such, for the local planning authority to decide. I understand that the council granted planning permission on 8th January, 1970.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will seek to grant a subsidy to building societies to allow a special mortgage rate at a lower than normal level during a period limited to 10 years for married couples purchasing houses while under the age of 30 years.

My right hon. Friend sympathises with the general objective of enabling young couples to buy their own homes, and has been glad to note that the number of new mortgagors under 30 has been increasing in recent years. He will gladly study any proposals my hon. Friend may care to put forward in detail, but he feels that such a measure might seem inequitable to those whose first opportunity of owner occupation came later in life.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to make a decision in respect of the proposals submitted to him in the autumn of 1965 by the Voluntary Joint Committee for the Peak National Park, for extending the boundaries of the Peak District National Park.

I shall write to the Voluntary Joint Committee shortly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authority houses were built in Southampton in each of the years 1964 to 1969.

The county borough reported the following numbers of dwellings completed in the years 1964 to 1969:775; 1,402; 1,278; 934; 1,208; 833.

ENGLAND
Completions			Calendar Years
			1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969
Public	…	…	95,942	116,866	130,912	142,235	159,022	149,220	142,790
Private	…	…	160,633	200,670	196,745	187,885	183,718	203,324	164,071
TOTAL	…	…	256.575	317,536	327,657	330,120	342,740	352,544	306,861

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) what is the total of grants for the clearance of derelict land made or approved by Her Majesty's Government during 1969 to all authorities in the West Riding of Yorkshire; what acreage of land is involved; and what are the comparable figures for 1968 and 1967;(2) what is the total of grants for the clearance of derelict land made or approved by Her Majesty's Government in 1969 in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region; what acreage is involved; and what are the comparable figures for 1968 and 1967.

All the grant-earning reclamation schemes for the Yorkshire

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many housing starts have been registered in the public and private sectors during the first nine months of each of the past five years.

These details are given in the publication "Housing Statistics, Great Britain" issues No. 4 (January, 1967) No. 8 (January, 1968) and No. 15 (November, 1969), copies of which are in the Library.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give the reasons for the shortfall in the housing programme; what will be the expected completions in 1970; and how this figure compares with the years 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, and 1968–69.

Mainly high interest rates and restrictions on credit, and policy decisions in some areas by local authorities. It is too early to give a firm forecast of completions in 1970.and Humberside Region approved by the Minister in these years were in the West Riding. The figures are as follows:

		Number of Schemes	Acreage of Derelict land	Gross Eligible Cost £
1967	…	—	—	—
1968	…	10	105	132,572
1969	…	40	504	635,969

Most of these schemes will probably qualify retrospectively for 75 per cent. capital grant under the provisions of the Local Employment Bill which is at present before Parliament.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what proportion of the city of Sheffield is covered by smoke control orders under the Clean Air Acts; and how this compares with the six other largest provincial county boroughs in England.

59 per cent. by area. The comparative figures for the county boroughs of greatest area are as follows:

				Per cent.
Bradford	…	…	…	68
Liverpool	…	…	…	66
Sheffield	…	…	…	59
Birmingham	…	…	…	55
Manchester	…	…	…	49
Leeds	…	…	…	41
Bristol	…	…	…	27

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what slum clearance programme for the next four years has been submitted by the county borough of Sheffield; and if he will make a statement.

I am happy to say that Sheffield proposes to initiate action against 2,400 slum houses in each of the years 1970–73 and expects to clear a similar number each year.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many slum dwellings have been cleared in Sheffield in each of the years 1964 to 1969.

The number of houses demolished or closed in sheffield under slum clearance powers in each of the years from 1964 to 1969 is as follows:

1964	…	…	…	…	1,366
1965	…	…	…	…	1,089
1966	…	…	…	…	1,187
1967	…	…	…	…	1,785
1968	…	…	…	…	1,623
1969	…	…	…	…	1,610

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he is aware that frequently promises are made to residents on the basis of which planning permission is subsequently granted by local authorities for quarrying to take place, and that these promises are subsequently broken without penalty to the contractor; if he will introduce legislation to give the planning authorities greater control over broken promises in applications; and if he will make a statement.

If a legal obligation is dishonoured, local planning authorities have the power to proceed against the developer. Local planning authorities have power, within limits, to create those legal obligations by specifying conditions under which development can take place. I do not think new legislation is needed, but I will, of course, look at any special problem.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has now considered the report of the public inquiry held in Preston last May on the Central Lancashire City; and if he will make a statement on the decisions he has reached.

My right hon. Friend hopes to announce his decision before long.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many houses in Gateshead have been improved with the assistance of improvements grants, up to the most recent date for which figures are available.

Three thousand one hundred and five grants have been approved up to 30th September, 1969.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what studies have been conducted on the effects of enzyme detergents in sewage on the marine life of rivers and coastal waters.

The terms of reference of the Standing Technical Committee on Synthetic Detergents were amended last year so as to include enzyme products in its field of review. I understand that the enzymes used in the washing powders are prepared from bacteria normally present in the environment and that similar enzymes are present naturally in domestic sewage at comparable, very low concentrations. The detergent enzymes are rapidly destroyed by bacterial action and there is no reason to believe that they have any effect on life in rivers or coastal waters, though no research on this particular aspect is known to have been carried out in this country. The committee is keeping the position under review.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what plans he has to help water boards in rural areas to meet the very high capital and maintenance cost involved in extending a mains water supply to those houses still without it.

My right hon. Friend pays grant towards the capital cost of distribution works in any rural scheme a principal purpose of which is to extend piped supplies for the first time to houses built before 1968. The maximum grant under the formula published in Circular 75/67 is payable if the cost reaches £380 per property. Where the cost is higher, it is open to a water board to submit a special case for additional grant.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the total value of housing loans for private house purchase made available by councils in Cornwall during each of the last five years; and how many houses were involved.

The total value of housing loans for private house purchase made available by councils in Cornwall, including the Isle of Scilly, during each of the last five calendar years and the numbers of houses involved were as follows:

1965	…	…	£2,826,000	1,278 dwellings
1966	…	…	£1,848,000	861 dwellings
1967	…	…	£1,654,000	754 dwellings
1968	…	…	£1,661,000	756 dwellings
1969	…	…	£554,000	250 dwellings

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many grants have been recommended in the first nine months of this year by the Historic Buildings Council; and how much was paid out over the same period.

From January to September, 1969, 201 grants were recommended by the Historic Buildings Council for England, including increases in grants previously approved. During the same period £466,373 was paid out.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will seek powers to prevent local authorities from selling houses to persons other than sitting tenants.

The general consent to the sale of local authority houses given under my right hon. Friend's existing powers restricts the sale either to a sitting tenant or, in the case of an unoccupied house, to a person who requires a house for his own exclusive use.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will take steps to increase the average subsidy per council house tenant from £30 to £47 10s.

The average annual basic subsidy for each new council dwelling in England and Wales is now about £148 a year—nearly three times the latter figure my hon. Friend has mentioned. Subsidy is not paid as an average amount per householder, but according to the costs incurred. As new house building proceeds, therefore, the average Exchequer subsidy for all council dwellings will continue to rise.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he proposes to exercise his powers under the Rent Act, 1965, to bring into rent regulation categories of houses at present subject to rent control.

Part III of the 1969 Housing Act enables dwellings now subject to rent control to be passed into rent regulation if they reach a prescribed standard of fitness and good repair. Unless dwellings reach this standard there will be no question of bringing them into regulation.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government on what basis he estimates £40 million to be the extra annual cost of backdating 4 per cent. loans on new council houses to when the first brick was laid, rather than, as at present, to completion date, in view of the fact that total annual housing subsidies do not exceed £170 million.

Subsidies for newly completed dwellings now total about £26 million a year. To pay the subsidy when a dwelling was started would bring forward annual subsidy payments for the equivalent of about one and a half years' output of public sector dwellings.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the average rent of municipally-owned dwellings in England and Wales, in the Greater London Council area and in the London Borough of Wandsworth, respectively; and what proportion of each average rent is attributable to interest charges.

On 31st March, 1968, the average weekly rent of local authority dwellings in England and Wales was 37s. 11d.; for the Greater London Council's 46s. 3d.; and for a sample of London boroughs 51s. 10d. I am informed by the London Borough of Wandsworth that its average weekly rent for 1967–68 was 47s. 9d. The figures I have given make no allowance for rent rebates.It is not possible to identify the proportion of rents attributable to interest charges.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will seek to make the granting of loan sanction to local authorities for any future building of houses and flats conditional on the design being approved by his Department as being such as to avoid condensation and damp.

Loan sanction is granted only if dwellings comply with the Building Regulations.Those regulations which relate to water penetration, thermal insulation and ventilation are already intended to provide some protection against condensation and damp.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT all the buildings in Sheffield which he has designated historic buildings, giving grade, date of designation, ownership and whether or not the buildings are privately owned, whether they still stand and their condition, indicating what steps, and by whom, have been taken to ensure their preservation.

Since the information requested is lengthy and detailed I am sending it to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) why it took him as long as it did to increase the 40 per cent. to 50 per cent. grant towards the costs of strengthening tower blocks; and why this 50 per cent. grant was not offered in the first instance;(2) what new circumstances arose between the date when he decided that local authorities should pay 60 per cent. towards the cost of strengthening tower blocks and his revised amount of 50 per cent.; whether the latter figure was agreed by the local authorities without reservation; and whether he will make a further statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave today in reply to his Question and Questions by the hon. Members for Swindon (Mr. Christopher Ward) and Walthamstow, West (Mr. Silvester) on the same subject.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give an assurance that the safety regulations recommended to local authorities for strengthening tower blocks will ensure complete safety against all hazards; whether he is satisfied the local authorities are able to meet the 50 per cent. cost involved in carrying out these regulations; and what action he will take against an authority refusing to implement such regulations because of inability to meet the costs involved.

The standards in Circular 62/68 which dealt with the appraisal and strengthening of existing high blocks were based on the best professional advice available. I do not believe any authority would be so indifferent to the safety of its tenants as to ignore this circular or be unable to meet 50 per cent. of the cost of this work.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he will introduce legislation to prevent the spillage of oil and petrol into rivers and other waterways.

It is already an offence knowingly to pollute rivers and streams but we are considering whether any changes are required. In addition, since no legislation can prevent spillages entirely, my right hon. Friend is taking expert advice on the guidance which he might offer to river authorities on means of dealing with a spillage when it occurs.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will obtain the number on the waiting list of the Easington District Council and the Peterlee Corporation applying for accommodation.

I understand that the numbers on the waiting lists kept by Easington Rural District Council and Peterlee District Council are at present 3,151 and 1,013 respectively.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he intends to take a decision about the preservation of the listed buildings, Nos. 1–4 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire, all of which are in need of structural repair.

A public local inquiry is being held on 24th February into the applications for listed building consent to demolish these buildings. My right hon. Friend will issue his decision as soon as possible after he has received the inspector's report on the inquiry.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation for the Government control, or transfer to the appropriate local authorities, of beaches throughout the country which at present are privately owned.

There are already powers under the Town and Country Planning Acts and the Coast Protection Act under which beaches can be protected. I do not think that the need for further legislation has been established, but I shall carefully consider any evidence that may be submitted to me.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what was the number of flats and houses built by Southwell Rural District Council, Newark Rural District Council and Newark Borough Councils, respectively, in each year from 1960 to date; if he will state the number of slum dwellings to be cleared in each area; and if, in order to ascertain relative housing requirements, he will seek information about the current waiting list in these and other areas.

The figures are:

Dwellings completed		Southwell Rural District	Newark Rural District	Newark Borough
1960	…	64	109	104
1961	…	129	70	115
1962	…	62	100	81
1963	…	84	52	106
1964	…	54	43	27
1965	…	116	52	68
1966	…	226	63	215
1967	…	260	55	217
1968	…	164	49	8
1969	…	54	33	—

UNFIT DWELLINGS TO BE CLEARED 1970 TO 1974 (ESTIMATED)
200	50	320

Waiting lists provide only a partial guide to the housing needs of an area but the Department is in constant touch with local authorities with a view to ascertaining their housing needs and helping them to meet them.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning what contribution Her Majesty's Government intends to make in assisting the purpose of the National Conservation Year programme.

The Government are arranging and assisting many activities taking place throughout the country to mark European Conservation Year. A Calendar of Events will shortly be published by the Countryside Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning if he will make a statement on the effects on regional development of the Furness area of the proposed improvements of the road connection between Barrow-in-Furness and the M6, arising from his recent examination of this road.

Improvements already made to this road usefully support the encouragement to industrial development in Furness provided by the Government's regional policy and this effect will be enhanced by the further improvements now in progress or being planned. The following is a list of recent improvements, improvements under construction and further improvements programmed.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning what examination is being made by his advisory committees of the pollution problems involved in the use of phosphates in detergents in home and industry.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the annual reports of the Standing Technical Committee on Synthetic Detergents. I understand that the proportion of phosphate in household and heavy duty detergents varies between 15 per cent. and 40 per cent. by weight, and averages about 30 per cent. The Committee have not so far found any significant pollution problems from this source in Great Britain, whereas I understand that using alternative substances might produce such problems. The Committee have not recommended a reduction in the proportion of phosphate in detergents, but they are engaged in collecting information.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning what is the proportion of phosphate in each of the detergents in use in Great Britain; and what action his scientific advisory committee has recommended to reduce these levels to prevent pollution of water.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to her Oral Question earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning when he expects the members of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution will be appointed.

During February.

asked the Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning what progress he has made in the establishment of an advisory council to deal with the problem of noise; and what duties the council will have in relation to aircraft noise.

Arrangements for establishing the Council are nearly complete and I hope to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many brick-making companies there are in Scotland; and how many are publicly owned.

There are 44 companies making bricks in Scotland. None is wholly publicly owned, but the National Coal Board owns half the equity of the Scottish Brick Company Ltd.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what representations he has had from the Cement and Concrete Association concerning the effects of the present shortage of reinforcing steel; and what action he intends to take.

The Cement and Concrete Association were good enough to send my Department a copy of their consultants' report on the supply of reinforcing steel. I am continuing to watch developments in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the growing delay in clearing tax returns through the Inland Revenue, and of the increasing complexity of tax returns, he will now consider allowing expenses, incurred by employing professional accountants to expedite correct and early agreement on tax demands, to be charged against tax.