§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what percentage of houses currently vacant are in the public sector; and if he will provide a numerical and percentage classification for those which are being (a) modernised or improved and (b) waiting to be re-let;
(2) if he will estimate how many houses in Scotland are currently vacant; and how many of these are privately owned.
§ Mr. Allan StewartFrom the post-enumeration survey of vacant and occupier absent properties, it is estimated that about 97,600 houses in Scotland were vacant at the time of the census; 53,300–55 per cent.—of these were privately owned, and 32,200–33 per cent.—were public sector dwellings, including housing association properties. Tenure was unknown for 12,100–12 per cent.—dwellings.
Of the vacant public sector dwellings, 4,400–14 per cent.—were being rebuilt or converted. An estimate of the number of dwellings waiting to be relet is not available.
These figures excluded second homes, holiday lets and properties where the occupier was absent on census night.
§ Mr. Tom Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many council house modernisation programmes were approved by his Department in the years 1979–80, 1980–81 and 1981–82.
§ Mr. Allan StewartSince June 1979 local authorities have not been required to submit individual modernisation programmes for my Department's approval, but have been free to determine their own spending priorities between new building and modernisation within their annual capital allocations. An indication of local authority progress with modernisation schemes will, however, be found in the table on page 18 of Scottish housing statistics No. 16, a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of Scottish households currently living in overcrowded conditions, as defined by bedroom standards; and what percentage of the total number of households they comprise.
§ Mr. Allan StewartThe available information derives from the general household survey which in its application to Scotland is subject to a wide margin of sampling error. With this qualification, recent survey figures have been in the range 140,000 to 180,000, that is, about 8–10 per cent. of all households.