§ 14. Sir David KnoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many council houses have been sold to sitting tenants in Scotland since May 1979.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonBy the end of March 1994, more than 289,000 houses had been sold by public sector landlords in Scotland to sitting tenants—proof of the great success of the right to buy. Before long, I hope to take part in a ceremony to mark the sale of the 300,000th house.
§ Sir David KnoxWhat proportion of the council house stock in Scotland has been sold? If it is still less than the proportion in England, what is my hon. Friend doing to increase sales in Scotland?
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe percentage of public sector stock sold since 1979 is 26.8 per cent. in England. In Scotland, it is 27.6 per cent, so we have decisively overtaken England in the sale of public sector stock to sitting tenants. As well as that, we hope some time next year to be able to say that the 300,000th house has been built since 1979. That is a substantial achievement, much of it by the private sector.
§ Mr. FoulkesIs the Minister aware that despite direct representations by 18 Labour Members, the chairman and board of Scottish Homes have refused to allow councils to purchase houses from Scottish Homes? Is he also aware that Peter Mackinlay, the chief executive of Scottish Homes, told my Ayrshire colleagues and me that new town development corporation houses will be able to be sold to local councils as a result of a mistake by a senior civil servant in the Scottish Office? Can we not have the same sort of mistake for Scottish Homes and give tenants in Scottish Homes houses a real choice?
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe position with regard to new town tenants is different. In particular, in the winding up of the new towns that will be taking place, there is a smaller than average proportion of local authority stock within the new towns. A further important factor is the need for decisions to be taken before wind-up. That is not the case for Scottish Homes. If special circumstances exist, Scottish Homes can take them into account, but it seems that the hon. Gentleman has 890 not mentioned any special circumstances in this particular matter. I do not think that the civil servants have made any mistake at all.