§ 18. Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what policies exist for maximising investment in local authority housing. [3135]
§ Mr. CurryIn 1996–97 under the housing investment programme £1.2 billion was allocated to local authorities in a competitive process which directed resources to those 483W authorities best able to make use of them. This competitive system encourages local authorities to consider all available mechanisms for the provision of social housing in their area and increase the contribution made by private finance.
§ 27. Mr. ButlerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities transferred(a) all and (b) part of their housing stock to new landlords in the last year. [3144]
§ Mr. CurryThe 1995 large-scale voluntary transfer programme included 11 local authorities which transferred all or part of their housing stock to 12 registered housing associations. Of these, four were partial transfers. In the current—1996—programme two local authorities have transferred their housing stock to two registered housing associations. One of these was a partial stock transfer and the other a whole stock transfer. A further three authorities propose to transfer all their stock by the end of this financial year.