HC Deb 04 June 1980 vol 985 cc1406-7
10. Mr. Durant

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new town houses and flats have been sold or are currently in the course of sale; and what percentage of total stock this represents.

Mr. Heseltine

Since May last year 2,680 new town corporation dwellings have been sold. Negotiations are in hand on 5,270. These represent 9 per cent. of total new town tenancies. With permission, I will circulate the figures for individual towns in the Official Report.

Mr. Durant

Does my right hon. Friend agree that that demonstrates the outstanding popularity of the Government's policy in selling public housing? Will he do everything in his power to ensure that those who wish to buy are not held up by bureaucracy and Socialist dogma?

Mr. Heseltine

I agree that the fact that nearly 10 per cent. of all new town houses have been sold in a year proves beyond question the large demand that exists for ownership in those areas. Those living in parts of the country under Labour control will have to wait for the enactment of the legislation now before the House which will give other council tenants the right to buy. I assure my hon. Friend that there will be no bureaucratic delay in my Department in implementing the right-to-buy sales in new towns.

Following is the information:

SALES OF NEW TOWN HOUSES: POSITION AT 31 MAY 1980
Town Number of inquiries Number of inquiries resulting in firm negotiations Number of sales completed with effect from 18 May 1979
Basildon 6,030 1,800 1,252
CLNT 338 75 32
Milton Keynes 2,346 250 136
Northampton 1,086 429 231
Peterborough 2,013 146 498
Redditch 2,269 301 88
Runcorn 2,112 413 10
Skelmersdale 1,163 344 225
Telford 2,527 1,218 87
Warrington 1,305 68 44
Washington 1,240 226 77
TOTAL 22,429 5,270 2,680
Proportion of tenancies where there have been
Inquiries Per cent. Negotiations or sales Per cent.
Basildon 35 18
CLNT 13 5
Milton Keynes 22 4
Northampton 19 12
Peterborough 30 10
Redditch 34 6
Runcorn 22 4
Skelmersdale 15 7
Telford 26 13
Warrington 46 4
Washington 17 4
AVERAGE 25 9