§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if, in view of the fact that many houses bought by local authorities for letting purposes are being kept empty because of restrictions placed on repairs and improvements inside general improvement areas and housing action areas and on hostels for the homeless, by including such expenditure in the amount allowed to be spent on all repairs and improvements, what action he will take to help these areas;
(2) how many houses have been bought for letting by each local authority and in total in the last 12 months; approximately how many require repair and improvement; and how many are still empty;
(3) if he will list local authorities which are in difficulty in repairing and improving houses they have bought for letting because of restrictions of the amount they can spend on each repairs and improvements in general improvement areas and housing action areas and on hostels for the homeless, by including such expenditure in the amount allowed to be spent on all repairs and improvements under Section 105; and what representations he has received.
§ Mr. FreesonThis is very much a matter of expenditure priorities for local authority decision, but I will write to my hon. Friend.