§ 26. Mr. Stanleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have introduced or are in the process of introducing half-and-half home ownership schemes.
§ Mr. FreesonA number of authorities are showing interest in this kind of arrangement, and Birmingham City and Greater London Councils have introduced schemes.
§ Mr. StanleyIn view of the evidence of the demand for this form of home ownership among those who are council tenants and those on the waiting lists, does not the Minister agree that it would be a desirable and logical extension of "half-and-half" to extend it to sales of council houses to sitting tenants?
§ Mr. FreesonThe one has nothing to do with the other. It is a very different kind of procedure that Birmingham Corporation and the Greater London Council—and, indeed, others if they take up the idea—adopt. It is not the sale of properties. It is the giving of a financial stake in part ownership by a local authority. This could arise for housing associations as well if they use the system. This is the kind of approach in housing ownership or participation at the margin that I wish to encourage and for which the present Government specifically legislated in the Housing Rents and Subsidies Act in February last year.