§ Mr. Redwoodasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the four most extensive council flats rehabilitation projects that have used private capital, along with the amounts of money invested, the number of units improved, and the ultimate form of tenure of the rehabilitated houses.
§ Mr. WaldegraveWe do not have this information. My Department assembles details about the numbers of empty local authority dwellings disposed of to the private sector and I included the most recent list in our answer to the hon. Member for Bootle on 13 July 1987 at column 387. This list is not necessarily comprehensive however, since local authorities are not required to seek the Secretary of State's consent or to inform the Department when they are disposing of empty housing at the best price.
My Department's estate action team has produced a booklet "New Homes from Old" which gives details of a range of schemes whereby empty rundown council 276W housing has been successfully transformed by using private capital. I have written to my hon. Friend enclosing a copy.