HC Deb 23 February 1983 vol 37 cc921-2
12. Mr. Foulkes

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sheltered housing starts he expects in 1983.

The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Sir George Young)

My Department makes no such forecasts. It is for individual local authorities and housing associations to decide, in the light of local needs, what provision to make for sheltered housing from the resources available to them.

Mr. Foulkes

Has the Minister seen the Age Concern, Scotland figures, which show that the shortfall of sheltered housing in Scotland is 24,000? Is he aware that, if one extrapolates that figure for the whole of the United Kingdom, there must be about 250,000 old people who need sheltered housing but do not have it? Will the Minister therefore give some encouragement to local authorities to install dispersed community alarm systems so that, at the very least, old people at risk will have some immediate contact in times of emergency?

Sir George Young

No, I have not seen those figures, because I have no responsibility for housing in Scotland, but I am happy to say that sheltered units started in England in 1982 were 40 per cent. up on 1981. The hon. Gentleman is quite right. There is a wide variety of alternative provision, such as that which he mentioned, which enables many elderly people to stay in their own homes, which is what many of them wish.

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

In spite of the Minister's claim that sheltered unit starts are 40 per cent. up on the previous year, does he accept that the number is appallingly low and that it is not growing even at a rate to keep pace with the number of people aged over 75? Does he agree that what we need is a major improvement in the amount of sheltered housing so that people can have the type of housing that they need, thus vacating family houses so that others can use them?

Sir George Young

The decline in starts began in 1977. I am happy to say that we have now reversed that slide. We are now on a steady increase. The important point is that one wants to provide a variety of choice and that sheltered units provided by local authorities are not the only answer. Substantial progress can be made through home improvement grants and through loans. I am delighted that the private building sector is taking a growing interest in making provision for elderly people and that there is an interest in the leasehold scheme for the elderly.