§ Mr. Leeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the total numbers of houses and flats in England and Wales known to have been vacant for more than six months, excluding houses vacated pending demolition after being classified as being unfit for human habitation but not excluding those vacant and scheduled for demolition for other purposes such as urban redevelopment or road widening schemes; and what were the corresponding figures for 1975 and 1976.
§ Mr. ArmstrongThis information is not available at present. But, as my right hon. Friend announced in the House on 20th April, the Department has commissioned a sample survey of vacant dwellings to obtain information about the causes of vacancy and the length of time that dwellings remain vacant.