§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has refused the London borough of Brent permission to buy and run a hostel for homeless families; if, in considering Brent's rate support he will now make up this sum from Government grant; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe council should concentrate its HIP spending on long-term capital investment on housing within the borough, for example on bringing back into use its 850 dwellings which were shown in its HIP submission as vacant on 1 April 1980, rather than on spending more than £1 million of its allocation on buying short-term accommodation elsewhere. Indicators reflecting housing stress are already taken into account in the calculation of rage support grant, and will continue to be so under the new block grant system.