HC Deb 08 February 1984 vol 53 cc879-80
23. Mr. Tom Cox

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of empty council properties in the Greater London council area.

Sir George Young

In their housing investment programme returns, London local authorities reported 32,600 dwellings vacant as at 1 April 1983.

Mr. Cox

Is the Under-Secretary aware that the housing problems of London worsen month by month? Is it not an utter disgrace that so many council houses are left empty, either because authorities, such as mine in Wandsworth, are deliberately keeping them empty—to sell them off irrespective of housing need—or because authorities just do not have the money to make the necessary repairs to put those houses back into habitation? When will the Government tackle the issues, stopping authorities from deliberately keeping houses empty and helping authorities which genuinely wish to bring their housing stock back into habitation?

Sir George Young

I urge those local authorities to offer the vacant dwellings to people on the waiting lists or to existing council tenants and to use the receipts from the sales to make faster progress with their housing programmes.

Mr. John Fraser

Is the Minister aware that the cuts in the housing improvement finance mean that Conservative boroughs such as Croydon and Labour boroughs such as Lambeth have had to cut repair and improvement grants to the private sector, so that there is neither money for the local authority to undertake this work nor for the private sector to do so? Will the hon. Gentleman stop deceiving the House by saying that there is enough money to cover these things in local authority budgets?

Sir George Young

It is sheer hypocrisy for the hon. Gentleman—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh!"]

Mr. Speaker

Order. I think that the Minister will wish to withdraw that remark.

Sir George Young

Of course I withdraw it.

The sum available for improvement grants this year is £600 million, which is four or five times higher than it was in 1979 when the hon. Gentleman was in Government.

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Smith, to ask question No. 26. The following question stood upon the Order Paper:

26. Mr. Tim Smith

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new houses were started in 1983; and how this compares with 1982.

Mr. Gow

About 187,000 dwellings were started in England last year, as compared with 166,000—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I am not certain that the hon. Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) is here.