HC Deb 23 March 1983 vol 39 cc845-6
1. Mr. Bob Cryer

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he decided not to alter the qualifying age for houses for repair grants.

The Minister for Housing and Construction (Mr. John Stanley)

We have decided not to alter the qualifying age of houses for repair grants for the moment because the 1981 English house condition survey still showed that the incidence of serious disrepair was concentrated overwhelmingly in the pre-1919 housing stock.

Mr. Cryer

Will the Minister answer all the representations that are continually made about the Stockbridge area in my constituency, where 15 owner-occupiers have been blighted for more than 14 years by motorway proposals? They have, consequently, deferred repairs continually to the point where some of them—for example, those who have retired from work—cannot afford to carry out the repairs. Although the houses were constructed in 1939, surely these people should qualify for repair grants in compensation for the blight that has been visited on them, not by themselves, but by the Government?

Mr. Stanley

I am certainly aware of the hon. Gentleman's correspondence with my hon. Friend about the problems in Stockbridge. However, we cannot have a different rule for Stockbridge compared with the rest of the country. The fact remains that about 93 per cent. of all the houses shown in the English house condition survey as being in serious disrepair are pre-1919, and it must make sense to concentrate the major effort in repair grants on those properties.

Mr. Frank Allaun

Is the Minister aware that a far wider issue is involved and that the most disastrous flats and houses are those that were built in the past 25 years by industrial building methods? Will the Minister therefore make available additional grants to cover the whole cost of their repair and renovation, which would also provide jobs for a large number of unemployed building trade workers?

Mr. Stanley

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that repair grants are intended for properties in the private sector under the home improvement grant legislation. The wider problem that the hon. Gentleman mentions in connection with industrialised building is concentrated almost entirely in the public sector, and here we hope that local authorities will make full use of their increased allocations both this year and next.

Mr. Cryer

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.