§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines to local authorities on the compiling of standardised housing waiting lists, to include all names of those awaiting rented accommodation in the local authority area;
(2) if he will issue guidelines on the standardisation of allocation policies on housing provision, and for homelessness services, between local authorities in Wales.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesOur position on allocation policies and standardised housing waiting lists is set out in the576W published "Agenda for Action on Housing in Wales". We have issued guidance to local authorities on the discharge of their statutory responsibilities on homelessness in the revised "Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities".
§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dwellings lacking one or more basic amenities exclusively house people over the age of 60 years in each(a) housing sector and (b) local authority area in Wales.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe estimated numbers of dwellings—based on the results of the 1986 Welsh house condition survey—which lacked the exclusive use of one or more basic amenities and which exclusively housed people over the age of 60 were as follows:
Number Owner occupied 13,700 Local authority/council/newtown 2,150 Private rented 4,700 An analysis of the total number of such dwellings in each authority is given in the table:
Number Aberconwy 200 Alyn and Deeside 300 Arfon 450 Blaenau Gwent 900 Brecknock 250 Cardiff 1,450 Carmarthen 350 Ceredigion 600 Colwyn 100 Cynon Valley 1,350 Delyn 250 Dinefwr 400 Dwyfor 450 Glyndwr 250 Islwyn 750 Llanelli 900 Lliw Valley 550 Meirionnydd 200 Merthyr Tydfil 1,000 Monmouth 350 Montgomeryshire 300 Neath 500 Newport 550 Ogwr 750 Port Talbot (Afan) 400 Preseli Pembrokeshire 300 Radnorshire 250 Rhondda 2,500 Rhuddlan 50 Rhymney Valley 700 South Pembrokeshire 200 Swansea 1,200 Taff-Ely 600 Torfaen 450 Vale of Glamorgan 100 Wrexham Maelor 450 Ynys Mon 550
§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will establish a new formula for assessing affordability so as to develop a target level of housing costs for all tenures.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesWe have no plans to do so.
§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a central housing agency to co-ordinate public and social housing strategies in Wales.