§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the estimated waiting time in weeks likely to be experienced by those seeking housing accommodation in each of the 33 new towns at present managed by development corporations.
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§ Mr. OakesThe waiting time for housing accommodation in the new towns varies according to the priority which an applicant can command within the general tenancy allocation policy of the particular town and the type of accommodation required. In these circumstances averages are difficult to calculate, but in those towns with development corporations and serving London under the New and Expanded Towns Scheme, average waiting periods in March 1976 for applicants nominated under the scheme were
Basildon, 26 weeks.Bracknell, 2 to 4 weeks.Corby, 8 to 40 weeks, depending on accommodation required.Harlow, up to 12 weeks for key workers; otherwise 52 weeks.Milton Keynes, 8 to 12 weeks.Northampton, 4 to 8 weeks.Peterborough, 1 to 2 weeks.Stevenage, 8 to 12 weeks.Outside the NETS Scheme my Department does not receive information in the same detailed form from all English new towns but the general pattern appears to be broadly similar. In January of this year the average waiting period in Aycliffe, for example, was up to 12 weeks, in Redditch it was about 10 weeks and in Runcorn from nine to 24 weeks. If the hon. Member has any other English new town particularly in mind I shall do my best to obtain information for him.