§ 10. Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring forward proposals to allow repair grants to be paid on houses built after 1 January 1919.
§ Mr. John PattenWe have no immediate plans to do so, though we are considering it.
§ Mr. BeithWill the Minister bear in mind that many houses, such as the ex-NCB houses at Lynemouth in my constituency, are in need of structural repair? The tenants who used to rent—many of whom have now bought those houses and installed basic amenities, such as inside toilets, at their own expense—now find they are not eligible for any sort of grant-aid. Will he bear in mind problems like that?
§ Mr. PattenI am aware of the problems facing people living in these ex-NCB houses in Lynemouth and the sort of problems that face Castle Morpeth district council. In our Green Paper on home improvements we have undertaken to look seriously at the possibility of extending the time within which repair grants can be paid from 1919 to some substantial period thereafter. We will look at that when we come to our conclusions on future legislation.
§ Mr. FavellCan my hon. Friend tell the House what has happened to the Green Paper, because there has been a resounding silence for several months? Is there any reason why we should not introduce a loan system? Why should one taxpayer pay for the improvement to another taxpayer's home, regardless of whether or not the recipient has the wherewithal to pay?
§ Mr. PattenIn the immortal phrase, Ministers are still considering the responses to the Green Paper. I appreciate what my hon. Friend says about a loan system, but we must be chary about the introduction of any sort of loan system which could lead to back-door municipalisation by local authorities giving loans and taking a share in the equity. We are determined to make sure that our targeting of money for home improvement grants in any future system will be much sharper and will meet the needs of people who really need help.
§ Mr. PikeDoes the Minister recognise that many councils are having problems, not only with houses built after 1919, but with repair grants for houses built before 1919? Will the Government take action to provide sufficient resources to stop the serious deterioration in our housing stock, which will reach crisis level if the Government do not act?
§ Mr. PattenRepair grants at the beginning of the life of this Government amounted to about £500,000. I am happy to say that in the current year repair grants amount to some £150 million.