§ 27. Mr. Amessasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further plans he has to encourage an increase in the number of sales of local authority housing.
§ Mr. John PattenI have announced proposals for legislation to give better protection against high service charges to tenants exercising the right to buy their flats. Other measures to promote sales under the right to buy and by agreement are under consideration.
§ 41. Mr. Penhaligonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the implications for levels of local authority housing investment of his policy in relation to council house sales.
§ Sir George YoungCouncil house sales have been beneficial in that they have generated very substantial capital receipts—almost £4 billion to June 1985. Local authorities can use the prescribed proportion of those receipts to augment their housing investment programmes. Sales do not of themselves increase the need for housing investment, since the change of tenure does not take the house out of the housing stock.
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§ 42. Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been sold to sitting tenants in England since May 1979.
§ Mr. John PattenFrom April 1979 to June 1985 about 647,000 dwellings were sold to sitting tenants by local authorities and new towns in England. If sales of vacant dwellings are included, the total is about 688,000.
§ 58. Mr. Nichollsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homes have been sold under the right-to-buy facility by Teignbridge district council since 1980.
§ Mr. John PattenTeignbridge district council has reported 906 sales completed under the right to buy between October 1980 and June 1985.
§ Mr. Amessasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many extra council and corporation houses have been sold over the last two years (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in Basildon since the discount was increased to 60 per cent.
§ Sir George YoungI shall write to my hon. Friend.