§ Mr. Arthur Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement indicating the time, form and place of the pilot survey of empty residential accommodation which he intends shall be undertaken.
§ Mr. FreesonThe survey of vacant accommodation will be based on a national sample of dwellings recorded as being vacant in the ½ per cent. labour force survey currently being undertaken by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. Properties identified as vacant will be revisited in autumn 1977. If on this second visit a property is found to be occupied a check will be made with the occupants to confirm that it was vacant in May 1977; they will then be asked if they know why it had been vacant. Where properties are found to have been vacant for some considerable time the owners will be traced and asked for details why the property remained empty. Details of tenure, age of the dwelling, its condition and amenities will also be collected.