asked the Minister for Local Government the total amount of money made available to his Department for distribution to housing authorities in June, 1977 for the commencement of local authority houses; and if he will indicate his intentions in relation to housing authorities who wish to commence works on houses between now and June but cannot do so due to lack of finance.

The public capital programme allocation for local authority housing in 1977 is £74.1 million, an increase of 14 per cent on the equivalent public capital programme allocation for 1976. When normal working overdraft at 31st December, 1977, is taken into account, the total amount available to meet local authority housing construction expenditure in 1977, and all incoming debit balances at 31st December, 1976, is £81.11 million.

The amount of money which will be allocated for additional new work following a review of the programme later in the summer will depend on the extent of the demand then arising and the level of expenditure actually incurred in 1977 up to the time of the review.

The capital funds actually allocated to housing authorities already this year are estimated to be sufficient to finance the starting of about 6,000 new houses in 1977. Claims by individual housing authorities for additional moneys for more starts, before the general review later in the year, will be considered by me on their merits.

Would the Minister be prepared to make any further allocations to housing authorities between now and the 30th June?

If they merit it, yes.

28.