HL Deb 27 January 1986 vol 470 cc436-7

2.55 p.m.

Lord Dean of Beswick

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications have been received from local authorities for exemption orders from the right to buy provisions for elderly persons' dwellings; how many orders have been granted; how many refused; and what criteria have been applied.

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, since the right to buy was introduced in 1980, the Government have received 3,075 applications for the exemption of elderly persons' dwellings. Of these, 281 have been granted, 1,695 have been refused and 178 are still under consideration. Following consultations with the local authority associations, the Institute of Housing, Age Concern and other interested bodies, a new circular (DoE 21/84) was issued on 15th August last, which sets out the criteria used by the Secretary of State when judging these matters. Since then, 32 per cent. of applications have been allowed, compared with only 11 per cent. under the old system.

Lord Dean of Beswick

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for that reply, but may I ask him whether he is aware that I have information from the Institute of Housing which shows that 80 per cent. of the applications that have been dealt with have been refused and 16 per cent. have been granted? It is taking five months for decisions to be made. Does the Minister consider, in view of the 80 per cent. refusal, that the professional officers misunderstood the criteria?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, I am aware of the remarks of the Institute of Housing and of the article in a recent edition of Inside Housing which reflects them. But in his approach to these applications the Secretary of State is guided by the wording of paragraph 5 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Act 1980, as amended, which obliges him to look for evidence of particular suitability for the elderly and not just suitability as under the Housing Act 1980. This he is doing. It takes a considerable time, because detailed questions have to be answered. Under the new rules it should be very much easier for local authorities to make a proper application. As I said, the results are encouraging in that the success rate (if I may put it like that) for local authorities under the new rules is 32 per cent., whereas under the old rules it was 11 per cent.

Lord Dean of Beswick

But, my Lords, is it not a fact, even with the new figures, that the refusals are at an unacceptable high percentage having regard to what was said in this Chamber by Ministers at the Dispatch Box opposite when these amendments were going through the House and were voted upon? There is a strong feeling among the professional people involved in this matter that the Government have broken their word on it.

Lord Skelmersdale

No, my Lords, I do not accept that. I believe that the new appproach, which addresses the particular suitability of the dwelling for the elderly in its present state and the circumstances at the present letting, is much more rational and satisfactory. Obviously such tests could well be met by older dwellings if they have been brought up to present-day standards. This was proposed in another place and accepted in your Lordships' House without a Division. If I may, I shall quote the words of the noble Baroness, Lady Birk, at the time, who was leading for the Opposition in the Housing and Building Control Bill: The criteria are much more clearly spelled out, they are wider and there is less doubt".