Applications for the £1,000 grant
Barrett reports 5,020 applications by 28 October 1977, with 835 approved, 18 paid and 155 rejected, and says comparison with the previous means-tested scheme would be misleading.
asked the Minister for the Environment the number of people who have availed to date of the £1,000 grant for first-time purchasers of houses; and if he will give details of the amount by which this scheme exceeds the schemes previously in operation.
Comment on this
In the period from 6th July, 1977, when I announced the implementation of the £1,000 new house grant scheme, up to 28th October, 1977, a total of 5,020 applications were received for the £1,000 new house grant. Of these, 835 were approved, 18 paid and 155 rejected. The remaining applications are being processed and I expect that the great majority of them will be approved.
It would be most misleading to compare the £1,000 grant with the varying amounts payable under the previous scheme which, unlike the new grant, were governed by a restrictive means test which debarred the majority of new house purchasers from obtaining any grant.