§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if his figure for national council house vacancies included the number of houses vacant due to major repairs and modernisation;
(2) how he calculates the length of time council house vacancies exist; and how average figures for this are calculated.
§ Mr. TrippierLocal authorities report the number of council-owned dwellings empty at 1 April in their annual housing investment programme returns. They also provide a breakdown of this total according to the length of time that the dwellings have been empty (six months or less, over six months up to one year, over one year up to two years, and over two years) and the reasons why, including the number which are awaiting or undergoing major works of repair or modernisation.
The Department is currently undertaking a more detailed survey of empty local authority dwellings at 1 October 1988, which will also include information about the types of dwellings which are empty, and the average time dwellings let between 1 April and 30 September 1988 were empty.