§ 24. Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet) (Con)What the Church Commissioners' policy is for developing their housing estates. [174915]
§ Second Church Estates Commissioner (Sir Stuart Bell)All the Church Commissioners' investments are managed according to their statutory responsibility to ensure the best long-term return from a diversified investment portfolio.
§ Sir Sydney ChapmanI am grateful to the Second Church Estates Commissioner for that policy statement, but in relation to developing the estates, can he give some specific examples to show what part the commissioners are playing in improving the housing stock of this country by their policy?
§ Sir Stuart BellMiddleton house in Pimlico was upgraded and repaired in April 2003, and part of the Waterloo estate was completed in March this year. Work in Vauxhall began last autumn. Work differs between the estates, but, generally, the work that we carry out involves new or repaired roofs, windows, 1303 external repairs and improved communal areas. Some £19 million has been spent or committed to those three estates, and there is other ongoing work.