HC Deb 08 May 1989 vol 152 cc537-8
1. Mr. Rogers

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he intends to introduce to tackle the problems of unfit houses in the south Wales valleys.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Ian Grist)

Since 1979, more than 61,000 homes in the valleys area have been improved at a cost of over £152 million. Over the three years of the programme for the valleys, we expect, on average, to see the renovation of some 10,700 valley homes per year. The last Labour Government were unable to match that average rate for the whole of the Principality during their last term in office.

Mr. Rogers

Does the Minister accept that in the Rhondda alone, 5,000 people are on the waiting list for improvement grants and that it is estimated that 18,000 houses in the valleys need improvement grants, at a total cost of about £200 million? It is not the juggling of money, but new resources for valley communities that we require. Does the Minister accept that the con-trick of the Secretary of State—the valleys initiative—is no more acceptable in the Rhondda than it was to the electors of Pontrypridd or the Vale of Glamorgan?

Mr. Grist

The hon. Gentleman's question is extraordinary. Clearly, he did not listen to my reply. He has not understood that 10,000 new homes will be built under the initiative, that it has been welcomed by all local authorities, industrialists and trade unionists, and that other people have rightly given it a firm welcome as bringing a new spotlight to Wales, which the hon. Gentleman seems to be willing to deny.

Mr. Gwilym Jones

Does my hon. Friend agree that if one is going to make progress with unfit houses in the valleys of Wales, one needs a policy for housing—an advantage not shared by the Labour party? What progress does my hon. Friend expect housing associations to make in dealing with unfit houses in Wales?

Mr. Grist

The progress will be considerable. Under the programme for the valleys, about £8.6 million of special funding will be made available through Housing for Wales for approved development programmes in that area.

Mr. Gareth Wardell

What provisions does the Minister intend to make for those who have already applied for improvement grants? Will he ensure that such people will be catered for, in addition to new people coming on to the scheme from 1 April 1990?

Mr. Grist

I am assured by the councils concerned that if applications have been approved, they will be able to tit them in before the new scheme comes into play.

Mr. Murphy

Why cannot the Minister accept that all responsible housing associations and similar bodies in Wales are saying that his means-tested improvement grants will mean that fewer people will take up the grants and that our housing stock is bound to suffer? Cannot he see that our south Wales valleys will reject this policy in the same way as they rejected the rest of the Government's policies in the county council elections last week?

Mr. Grist

I hope that the hon. Gentleman will be careful in what he says on this matter. I hope that he will tell his constituents—as I hope that his hon. Friends will—that the scheme produced under our new legislation will be the most generous ever, giving grants of up to 100 per cent. —which have never been available before—to those least able to pay. That will mean that about 54,500 houses in Wales will be eligible for 100 per cent. grants.

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