HC Deb 28 July 1989 vol 157 c1191W
Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the special housing investment programme enhancements to local authorities to use for bringing empty properties into accommodation units for the homeless has been taken up by local authorities(a) in total and (b) by each local authority; and how many units have been brought into use by the homeless as a result.

Mr. Chope

The additional resources, totalling £74.9 million, were fully taken up, and local authorities advise that as a result some 7,700 units have been brought back into use for homeless people.

For details of individual authorities' allocations, I refer the hon. Member to the announcements made on 20 January, 23 June and 18 July 1988.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the expected outcome of the additional housing investment programme enhancement in 1987–88 for bringing empty property into use by the homeless; what are the revised figures for how many will be made available under the housing investment programme enhancements in the current year; and if there are any plans for additional enhancements in the next financial year.

Mr. Chope

I refer the hon. Member to the announcement made on 20 January, 1988 which gives details of the numbers of units made available under this initiative in 1987–88. No additional allocations have been made in the current year, and no decisions have yet been taken for the next financial year.