HC Deb 29 March 1972 vol 834 cc406-7
5. Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total number of improvement grants awarded each quarter of the last two years, by housing tenure.

Mr. Amery

As the answer contains a number of figures, I will with permission circulate it in the Official Report.

Mr. Meacher

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the rate of improvement is still lagging behind the rate of obsolescence, so that we are still nationally moving backwards in housing? Will he adopt a series of target dates for specified rehabilitation for all house owners, especially private landlords, who are the biggest laggards, as the only way to ensure that there is decent housing universally by 1980?

Mr. Amery

We are doing a great deal better than the Labour Government did. I am glad to say that 24 per cent. more grants were approved for private landlords in 1971 compared with 1970. We are doing all we can to encourage all owners to take advantage of the generous grants available, and in the assisted areas, in the North particularly, the take-up is extremely impressive—indeed resulting, in spite of local unemployment, in a shortage of skilled labour.

Mr. Kaufman

The right hon. Gentleman has referred to the assisted areas. Since nine months of the 24-month period allowed in the Housing Act, 1971, have already elapsed, will he take power to extend the period for the new intermediate areas announced last week so that they can have a full24-month period for their increased improvement grant availability?

Mr. Amery

I take the point but I am bound to say that had we not put a time limit on the grant, the take-up would not have been as good as it has been.

Following are the figures:

HOUSE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS APPROVED BY TENURE, ENGLAND AND WALES
Public Sector Owner-Occupied Private Sector Housing Associations Landlords
1970—
1st quarter … 6,641 13,485 779 7,841
2nd quarter … 10,655 18,020 863 8,973
3rd quarter … 13,903 21,122 1,443 9,744
4th quarter … 10,761 20,628 979 10,720
1971—
1st quarter … 13,230 16,858 1,243 9,619
2nd quarter … 13,168 19,799 1,134 10,550
3rd quarter … 14,481 23,074 1,434 12,105
4th quarter … 20,721 25,193 2,283 13,900
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