asked the Minister for the Environment if he will explain the very substantial difference between the amount of money shown in reply to Question No. 491 of 18 April 1978 and Question No. 405 of 25 April 1978 in relation to the amount of money required by each local authority for small dwelling acquisition for the year 1978.
Written Answers. - SDA Allocations.
492.
The estimated requirements of local authorities for house purchase loans in 1978, as shown in reply to Question No. 405 of 25 April 1978, were prepared by the authorities at the end of 1977 in the light of the expenditure they considered would arise as a result of the increase in the loan and income limits to £7,000 and £3,500 respectively, which were notified to them on 28 July 1977, and which had generated increased inflows of applications.
During the first half of 1978 it became clear to most local authorities that, due mainly to the time lag between loan approval and payment, the amount originally sought would not be required and these authorities consequently reduced their estimates to those shown in column (1) of reply to Question No. 491 of 18 October 1978.