Mr. Robert G. HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the resources available to the Housing Corporation in 1988–89.
§ Mr. TrippierThe Housing Corporation's approved development programme for 1988–89 made provision for gross expenditure of £737 million after taking into account forecast receipts of £82 million. The Housing Corporation now estimates that receipts will reach a total of £122 million. This increase is mainly due to higher than expected receipts from the sale of housing under the corporation's low cost home ownership programme and from the recovery of housing association grant following sales of properties. I have decided that the corporation may use the excess receipts arising in the current financial year to supplement its development programme, thus enabling more housing to be provided for homeless families and others in housing need.