asked the Minister for the Environment the number of local authority houses built since January 1979 and the number built over the same period last year, and if he will make a statement on the current delay in the building of local authority houses.
Written Answers. - Local Authority Houses.
354.
3,003 local authority dwellings were completed between 1 January 1979 and 31 August 1979 and 3,315 were completed in the same period last year. The average number of houses on which work was in progress during the 1979 period was 8,585 and in the 1978 period, 8,620.
The delay in completions this year is due primarily to the difficulties being experienced by contractors in obtaining skilled tradesmen because of the current high level of demand for such workers in the building industry generally. In spite of the shortfall to date in completions this year, returns received by me recently from housing authorities suggest that the total number of completions of local authority dwellings in 1979 will be of the same general order as last year.