§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses the Housing Corporation has built in rural areas; and how many he expects to be built in(a) 1996 and 1997 and (b) in each year since 1992. [2641]
§ Mr. ClappisonSince 1989–90, some 10,800 new homes have been approved in rural areas—defined as settlements with a population of 3,000 or less—through the Housing Corporation's rural programme. Of these, some 1,660 new homes were completed in 1992–93, 1,700 in 1993–94 and 1,890 in 1994–95. Rural schemes can be more difficult to develop and take longer to reach completion. We have therefore enabled the Housing Corporation to enhance grants to housing associations from 1996–97 to recognise the higher costs of developing small schemes in villages.
Forecast figures for future years will not be available until early in the new year, when the Housing Corporation has finalised its approved development programme.