Unoccupied Council Houses (Hansard, 15 October 1975)

§ 12. Mr. Peter Morrison
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of unoccupied council houses at the latest available date.

§ Mr. Armstrong
The Department's last survey showed that at 31st December 1973 the percentage of council dwellings in England and Wales which were vacant and available for letting remained—as in previous years—under 1 per cent.

§ Mr. Morrison
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that whether it is 1 per cent. or not, it means that there are thousands of empty council houses? Does he agree that the Department's time would be better spent urging local authorities to fill these empty council houses, rather than continue the massive programme of municipalisation?

§ Mr. Armstrong
It is true that even if the figure is below 1 per cent. it still represents a large number of houses. We do not want to see any left empty for longer than is necessary. Local authorities all over the country are discussing the matter with us and are doing all that they can to see that houses are occupied as quickly as possible.

§ Mr. Loyden
When my hon. Friend is considering this matter will he also consider the problem of the number of properties owned by private enterprise that are lying empty and ensure that local authorities take the necessary power to acquire these properties in order to deal with the urgent housing shortage in many areas?

§ Mr. Armstrong
Yes, Sir. Any house that is empty causes us concern, and this matter is under consideration.

§ Mr. Steen
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the reason why some council houses are unoccupied is that the environment is so seriously blighted that there are no community facilities—especially on new housing estates—and people do not want to live there? Will he ensure that in future when local authorities build new council estates they are given adequate funds by the Government to ensure that community facilities are provided at the outset, and not five years later?

§ Mr. Armstrong
That is a problem that has taxed successive Governments through the years. We try to ensure that amenities and facilities are available on these estates. I understand the urgency of the situation. If the hon. Gentleman has particular cases in mind he ought to make the strongest possible representation to the council concerned.

§ Mr. Stephen Ross
When dealing with the private sector, the greatest thing that the hon. Gentleman can do to relieve housing need is to allow the owners of empty properties to let them today or tomorrow, before he brings in any scheme for requisition. That is the first thing that he ought to be ready to do.

§ Mr. Armstrong
That is one suggestion that we are considering urgently.