§ Mr. Spenceasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to give his decisions in relation to Hambleton district council's application to be excluded from the right-to-buy provisions of the Housing Act 1980; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StanleyI assume my hon. Friend is referring to applications to the Secretary of State under paragraph 5 of schedule 1 to the Housing Act 1980 for determinations which would have the effect of excluding certain dwellings from the right to buy. The Secretary of State is required to make such a determination where an application is made to him within six weeks of the date of service of a notice and where he is satisfied both that the dwellinghouse is designed or specially adapted for occupation by persons of pensionable age, and also that it is practice of the landlord to let it only for occupation by such persons.
The Department has received 11 such applications from Hambleton district council. They are at various stages in the process of being examined but I expect decisions on some of the cases to reach the council by the end of this month.