§ Mr. AmessTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government have completed their consultations on the proposed new expenditure limits for grant eligible reinstatement works under the housing defects legislation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI am most grateful to all those who responded to our consultation proposals. We have, as a result, been able to settle the final figures for each designated house type. Our suggestion that the limits should be revised within a structure of four main costs bands was widely welcomed, as indeed were most of the details. Some concern was expressed on whether £27,000 would be sufficient for repairs to the "Reema Hollow Panel" house and we have therefore decided instead to place that type within the top £31,000 cost band.
The new limits will therefore be as follows:
House type New limit £ Present limit £ Local designations and any new designations 14,000 14,000 Cornish Unit: 1 storey PRC 17,000 14,000 Dorran: 1 storey PRC — 16,000 Gregory — 14,000 Myton: I storey PRC — 16,000 Newland: 1 storey PRC — 16,000 Tarran: 1 storey PRC — 14,000 Unity and Butterley: 1 storey PRC — 20,000 Wessex: 1 storey PRC — 24,000 Cornish Unit: 2 storey PRC 23,000 16,000 Stent — 20,000 Unity and Butterley: 2 storey PRC — 20,000 Airey 27,000 16,000 Boswell — 14,000 Dorran: 2 storey PRC — 16,000 Dyke — 24,000 Myton: 2 storey PRC — 16,000 Newland: 2 storey PRC — 16,000 Schindler and Hawksley SGS — 24,000 Smith — 20,000 Stonecrete — 16,000 Tarran: 2 storey PRC — 14,000 Underdown — 20,000 Waller — 24,000 Wates — 20,000 Winget — 20,000 Boot 31,000 20,000 Orlit — 24,000 Parkinson — 20,000 Reema Hollow Panel — 20,000 Wessex: 2 storey PRC — 24,000 Woolaway — 20,000 These new limits should enable local authorities themselves to decide the appropriate level of grant, in the majority of cases, without further reference to the Department.
The parliamentary order implementing these new limits has now been made by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales and, provided Parliament is content, will come into operation on Tuesday 31 May. My officials will be writing to local authorities, home owners groups and repairers to make sure that all those with an interest are fully aware of the changes.