HC Deb 30 November 1983 vol 49 cc870-1
7. Mr. Strang

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will meet the Edinburgh district council to discuss the effect in Edinburgh of the cut in home improvement grants; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ancram

I met an all-party delegation from Edinburgh district council on 21 November to discuss capital allocations for the next financial year. I shall take account of their representations in considering the council's allocation for 1984–85.

Mr. Strang

Is the Minister aware that plans to improve tenements in Edinburgh are being abandoned and that many of the people who live in them, some of whom are elderly and have modest means, have been encouraged to spend money on the assumption that they will receive a 90 per cent. grant? Is he further aware that they are now confronted with bills for surveyors' and architects' fees and that no improvement will be carried out? Is he also aware that cutting the grant from April next year will force local authorities to renege on their undertakings? Is that not utterly unacceptable?

Mr. Ancram

I must explain yet again what the Government have done. We announced that the end date for the enhancement of the rates of some types of grant would, as my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, then the Chancellor of the Exchequer, said in his Budget statement last year, be 31 March 1984. We confirmed that the open-ended commitment which allowed councils to go beyond their allocations for such grants this year would not be in practice next year. Neither of those announcements was new. Indeed, they were merely confirmation of old ones. I appreciate that some people are disappointed. That is inevitable when a temporary scheme comes to an end. As to fees, there is always a risk of incurring such bills when making an application, because there is no guarantee that such an application will be approved.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

Is the Minister aware of the great and growing despair in the cities of Scotland about the cuts in improvement grant? What future can he now offer housing association? Is their funding to be maintained? If not, much of the improvement that has been made in the past few years will be nullified, as such tenements will be adjacent to other blocks of tenements which are falling down. What possible economic justification can the Secretary of State have for his policy, in view of his complacent statement about the Scottish economy?

Mr. Ancram

I am not sure how that matter arises on a question about discussions with Edinburgh district council. The right hon. Gentleman is fully aware that announcements about the resources that are to be made available to the Housing Corporation will be made soon. It would not be proper for me to say now what those resources are likely to be.

Mr. Ron Brown

Is the Minister aware that the home improvement grant system has been abused in Edinburgh, as the greatest benefits have been reaped by speculators, who are the best financiers and supporters of the Tory party?

Mr. Ancram

I suspect that that is the nearest that we shall get to Opposition Members admitting how successful the scheme has been. One has only to look round Edinburgh and Glasgow to notice the work that has been done as a result of it. I hope that Opposition Members will welcome that improvement.

Mr. Craigen

As this issue has considerable implications for the rest of Scotland, may we have an assurance that, because so much repair work that is in the pipeline is affected by the moratorium, the Government will ensure that funds will be made available next year to continue the repairs programme?

Mr. Ancram

I have already made it clear in the House that all expenditure legally incurred before 20 October this year will be covered by the allocations that are made. We are committed to that. Opposition Members might say that that is not the question, but it affects work that is in the pipeline.