HC Deb 24 May 1988 vol 134 c127W
Mr. Home Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the typical cost to a local housing authority of(a) the discount on the sale of a house to a tenant who qualifies for the maximum discount. (b) the cost of repurchasing the house at 95 per cent. defect-free value under part XIV of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 and (c) reinstating the house to the required structural standard.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The discount element of a sale under the right to buy legislation does not involve a housing authority in any cost, whilst the sale generates receipts which would not otherwise be realised.

The average cost of repurchasing a house designated as defective under the provisions of part XIV of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, at 95 per cent. of the defect-free value, is £21,000. During the course of each financial year, housing authorities are issued with special supplementary capital allocations to cover such liabilities.

In Scotland, no reinstatements have yet been completed, so typical costs for this work cannot be determined.