HC Deb 23 February 1983 vol 37 cc924-5
15. Mr. Cohen

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to assist housing development in the inner city areas, such as Leeds; and if he will make a statement.

Sir George Young

The Government are actively encouraging local authorities to work with private house builders to meet the housing needs of their areas, in particular by selling land for development. Current initiatives include new building under licence from the local authority, improvement for sale and homesteading and enveloping. Local authorities and housing associa-tions are also assisting low-income purchasers to take advantage of those opportunities on shared ownership terms.

Mr. Cohen

Will the Minister say whether, following the statement that was made on Tuesday of last week, he has reviewed the views expressed then and decide which authorities will benefit from the statement? Is he aware that areas such as Leeds feel that they are Cinderellas? Over 500,000 people are still neglected. Does the Minister recognise that there is a waiting list of 22,000 for corporation or local authority housing in the city and that we are faced with problems in education, housing, leisure services and so on? Is the Minister prepared to make a statement to the effect that an additional list will be issued containing the authorities not included in the previous list.

Sir George Young

The hon. Gentleman is referring to the statement that my right hon. Friend made last Tuesday on the urban development grant. I am happy to say that there will be further announcements on the urban development grant. I am aware that Leeds hopes to use an urban development grant to get the city centre housing development scheme off the ground, in association with a private builder. Within the Department we are currently considering the Leeds application. On the housing side, Leeds has recently been given an additional allocation of £9 million for expenditure between now and the end of the year. I am sure that that will make a significant impact on the problems mentioned by the hon. Gentleman.

Mr. Squire

Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the problems in innner urban areas is vacant property and difficult-to-let estates? Does he agree also that the priority estates project initiated by his Department has made considerable strides towards providing housing in areas that were previously rejected?

Sir George Young

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I am delighted that under the urban programme many local authorities are putting forward schemes that will draw on some of the many ideas in the priority estates project booklet to which my hon. Friend referred.

Mr. Steen

Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the best ways to help housing development in the inner cities is to allow those on council housing lists to put council flats and houses that are in disrepair into repair and to move in? Is he aware that the extended lists of people who want to move into council houses are caused by local authorities refusing to let people move in and do their own repairs?

Sir George Young

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I am sure that local authorities which are sitting on empty properties that are earning no rents and no rates will listen to what he has said and encourage any imaginative suggestions for putting those properties to good use.