§ Mrs. LaitTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his proposals for housing revenue account subsidy guideline rents and management and maintenance allowance for 1994–95.
§ Sir George YoungI have today placed in the Library copies of my right hon. Friend's proposals for housing revenue account subsidy rent guidelines and management and maintenance allowances for 1994–95.
I propose to increase the national allowance for management and maintenance by 4 per cent.—£132 million—taking the total to £3.4 billion, and that the increase should go to the 183 authorities whose allowances are below the Government's estimate of their relative need to spend. This will guarantee all authorities 95 per cent. of that estimate.
On guideline rents, I propose an average increase in next year's local authority guideline rents of £2.20 a week which would take the average guideline rent from £29.40 to £31.60 with increases at the individual authority level ranging from £1.50 in low-value areas to £2.90 a week in high-value areas.