What is the number of applications for local authority houses?

That is a separate question.

Off the top of my head, I think it is 29,000.

Does the Minister consider that a house building programme of 6,400 local authority houses annually is adequate to meet the needs of approximately 30,000 aapplicants on local authority housing lists who have no means of providing adequate shelter for their families from their own resources?

In 1982 we built 5,600 houses, in 1983 we built 6,100 and this year the figure will be in excess of 6,400. That is a positive improvement.

Does the Minister consider that an annual house construction programme of approximately 6,000 is adequate to meet the needs of approximately 30,000 applicants for local authority houses who, by definition, are unable to provide shelter for their families from their own resources? They would not be approved applicants if they were able to provide homes for themselves.

With regard to any programme one has to take into account the finance available. Over the last two years there has been an increase in local authority house building and this is a positive indication that we are concerned about this problem. We have also introduced a £5,000 grant for people living in local authority houses to encourage them to provide their own houses, thus making more local authority accommodation available for those who need it.

I want the Minister to answer my question.

This is argument.

Is the Minister satisfied that the housing programme is adequate to meet the needs——

That is a statistical question. We cannot have an argument.

——of all those on the housing authority waiting list? Is the Government's attitude to——

The policy we are adopting will reduce substantially the number on the local authorities' waiting list.