HC Deb 08 November 1989 vol 159 cc990-1
13. Mr. Knox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been sold to sitting tenants in England since May 1979.

Mr. Howard

From April 1979 to June 1989 almost 1.1 million tenants bought their homes from English local authorities and new towns.

Mr. Knox

What is my hon. and learned Friend's assessment of the potential for future council house sales?

Mr. Howard

I believe that there is significant potential for an increase in the trend, and we are doing all that we can to encourage that.

Mr. Winnick

What about allowing local authorities, in financial terms, to build council houses? Is it not the case that more people will be homeless this Christmas than at any time since the end of the war? Are not the Minister and the Secretary of State disgusted that so many people should be living in squalid accommodation, homeless—or virtually homeless—in bed-and-breakfast dwellings? That state of affairs arises directly from Government policy.

Mr. Howard

Planned public spending on housing this year and over the next two years amounts to nearly £13 billion. Of course we are aware of the problems, anti we are mounting a tremendous effort to overcome them.

Mr. William Powell

Is my hon. and learned Friend aware that the figures that he has announced are marvellous news for the country as a whole, as well as for those who purchase their council houses? Is he aware that there are still many thousands of people with applications in the pipeline who are looking forward to purchasing their homes as soon as they can, and that the trend is accelerating in many parts of the country?

Mr. Howard

My hon. Friend is right. The advantages of home ownership are apparent to a growing number of people, and, as he has said, the trend is increasing.

Mr. O'Brien

I have noted the Minister's replies. Will he enlighten the House, however, by telling us how many houses will be built for rent this year? Will he take note of the requests from the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, the Association of District Councils, housing associations and Shelter, which have said that there is a shortage of houses for rent? Will he allow local authorities to use their receipts from the sale of council houses to build houses which can be let at an affordable rent, so that the waiting lists can be shortened and homeless people can be accommodated?

Mr. Howard

Some 2 million additional houses have been built over the past 10 years. The budget of the Housing Corporation, on planned figures, will increase by about 60 per cent. over the next three years, and the resources generally to be made available—as I have just said—amount to some £13 billion over this and the next two years. That will enable a large number of houses to be built to deal with the problems to which the hon. Gentleman has referred.