§ Ms Glenda JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many vacant properties he wishes to bring back into the affordable rented housing sector; and if he will provide a breakdown by(a) Government properties, (b) private sector properties and (c) local authority properties.
§ Sir George Young[holding answer 28 January 1994]: On 1 April 1993 there were around 900,000 empty dwellings in England, of which 26,683 were owned by housing associations, 70,909 were owned by local authorities, around 12,400 were owned by the Government and other public sector bodies, and around 765,000 were in private sector ownership, according to statistical returns from local authorities and housing associations. My answer of 24 January to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker), Official Report, columns 23–26, gives further details. The Government wish to see the best possible use made of empty property, regardless of its ownership. They offer encouragement to local authorities and private owners to do so, and have set up a task force on Government Departments' empty homes to help to bring residential property back into housing use. The task force is expected to present its final report to Ministers shortly.