§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the figure of those on the West Lancashire District Council's housing waiting list;
(2) if he will seek to ascertain how many people are on the waiting list for special housing accommodation for the elderly in the area of West Lancashire District Council; how this compares with other areas; and what steps are being taken to see that resources are provided to improve the situation.
§ Mr. KaufmanThe Department does not collect information about local authority housing waiting lists, either generally or for specific types of accommodation, and therefore is not in a position to compare lists one with another. Successive Governments have encouraged local authorities and housing associations to build more housing specially designed 89W for old people, and the proposals in the Housing Rents and Subsidies Bill are expected to increase the amount of subsidy available for local authorities' programmes.