HC Deb 12 February 1998 vol 306 cc309-17W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been allocated by(a) his Department and (b) the Housing Corporation to support new social housing in the Southampton City Council area in each of the last five years. [27557]

Mr. Raynsford

The Department provides funding for new social housing through grant-in-aid to the Housing Corporation. The grant is allocated to Registered Social Landlords through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme. Local authorities can also choose to invest in new social housing. Local authority spending on the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords which meets the Housing Corporation's criteria is reimbursed by Local Authority Social Housing Grant from the Corporation.

Allocations for the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords in Southampton are shown. Additional social lettings are also provided through grants to tenants to help them buy a new home and vacate their existing dwelling for reletting, and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme for tenants (DIYSO). Expenditure on these home ownership schemes is excluded from the figures.

£ million
1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
Approved
Development Programme 2.99 4.36 2.14 3.80 2.22
Local Authority
Social Housing Grant 2.11 2.56 1.21 1.26 0.80

Notes:

1. 1997–98 figures are start of year allocations.

2. The figures include allocations for new build social housing and the purchase and rehabilitation of existing private sector properties for social housing. The figures exclude allocations for: works to existing stock owned by Registered Social Landlords; temporary social and market rent housing; grants to help tenants buy a new home and vacate their existing property for reletting; and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been allocated by(a) his Department and (b) the Housing Corporation to support new social housing in the Winchester City Council area, in each of the last five years. [28333]

Mr. Raynsford

[holding answer 9 February 1998]: The Department provides funding for new social housing through grant-in-aid to the Housing Corporation. The grant is allocated to Registered Social Landlords through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme. Local authorities can also choose to invest in new social housing. Local authority spending on the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords which meets the Housing Corporation's criteria is reimbursed by Local Authority Social Housing Grant from the Corporation.

Allocations for the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords in Winchester are shown. Additional social lettings are also provided through grants to tenants to help them buy a new home and vacate their existing dwellings for reletting, and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme for tenants (DIYSO). Expenditure on these home ownership schemes is excluded from the figures.

£million
1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
Approved
Development Programme 1.45 1.39 0.78 1.87 0.27
Local Authority Social Housing Grant 0 0.06 0.47 1.61 0.63

Notes:

1. 1997–98 figures are start of year allocations.

2. The figures include allocations for new build social housing and the purchase and rehabilitation of existing private sector properties for social housing. The figures exclude allocations for: works to existing stock owned by Registered Social Landlords; temporary social and market rent housing; grants to help tenants buy a new home and vacate their existing property for reletting; and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been allocated by(a) his Department and (b) the Housing Corporation to support new social housing in the East Hampshire District Council area in each of the last five years. [27565]

Mr. Raynsford

[holding answer 10 February 1998]: The Department provides funding for new social housing through grant-in-aid to the Housing Corporation. The grant is allocated to Registered Social Landlords through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme. Local authorities can also choose to invest in new social housing. Local authority spending on the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords which meets the Housing Corporation's criteria is reimbursed by Local Authority Social Housing Grant from the Corporation.

Allocations for the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords in East Hampshire are shown. Additional social lettings are also provided through grants to tenants to help them buy a new home and vacate their existing dwelling for reletting, and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme for tenants (DIYSO). Expenditure on these home ownership schemes is excluded from the figures.

£ million
1994–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
Approved Development Programme 1.46 1.79 0.41 1.33 0.21
Local Authority Social Housing Grant 1.08 1.17 0.08 4.29 1.04

Notes:

1. 1997–98 figures are start of year allocations.

2. The figures include allocations for new build social housing and the purchase and rehabilitation of existing private sector properties for social housing. The figures exclude allocations for: works to existing stock owned by Registered Social Landlords; temporary social and market rent housing; grants to help tenants buy a new home and vacate their existing property for reletting; and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been allocated by(a) his Department and (b) the Housing Corporation to support new social housing in the Hart District Council area, in each of the last five years. [28361]

Mr. Raynsford

[holding answer 10 February 1998]: The Department provides funding for new social housing through grant-in-aid to the Housing Corporation. The grant is allocated to Registered Social Landlords through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme. Local authorities can also choose to invest in new social housing. Local authority spending on the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords which meets the Housing Corporation's criteria is reimbursed by Local Authority Social Housing Grant from the Corporation.

Allocations for the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords in the Hart District Council area are shown. Additional social lettings are also provided through grants to tenants to help them buy a new home and vacate their existing dwelling for reletting, and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme for tenants (DIYSO). Expenditure on these home ownership schemes is excluded from the figures.

£ million
1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
Approved
Development Programme 0.13 0.65 0 0.89 0.31
Local Authority
Social Housing Grant 0.45 2.89 1.00 1.94 1.45

Notes:

1. 1997–98 figures are start of year allocations.

2. The figures include allocations for new build social housing and the purchase and rehabilitation of existing private sector properties for social housing. The figures exclude allocations for: works to existing stock owned by Registered Social Landlords; temporary social and market rent housing; grants to help tenants buy a new home and vacate their existing property for reletting; and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been allocated by(a) his Department and (b) the Housing Corporation to support new social housing in the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council area in each of the last five years. [27573]

Mr. Raynsford

[holding answer 11 February 1998]: The Department provides funding for new social housing through grant-in-aid to the Housing Corporation. The grant is allocated to Registered Social Landlords through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme. Local authorities can also choose to invest in new social housing. Local authority spending on the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords which meets the Housing Corporation's criteria is reimbursed by Local Authority Social Housing Grant from the Corporation.

Allocations for the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords in the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council area are shown. Additional social lettings are also provided through grants to tenants to help them buy a new home and vacate their existing dwelling for reletting, and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme for tenants (DIYSO). Expenditure on these home ownership schemes is excluded from the figures.

£ million
1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
Approved Development Programme 1.00 0.79 0.83 0.68 0.54
Local Authority Social Housing Grant 8.45 4.41 11.46 7.82 2.60

Notes:

1. 1997–98 figures are start of year allocations.

2. The figures include allocations for new build social housing and the purchase and rehabilitation of existing private sector properties for social housing. The figures exclude allocations for: works to existing stock owned by Registered Social Landlords; temporary social and market rent housing; grants to help tenants buy a new home and vacate their existing property for reletting; and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many people have been accepted onto the homeless register of Gosport Borough Council in each of the last five years; [27577]

(2) what is the total number of registered homeless people in the Gosport Borough Council area. [27578]

Mr. Raynsford

The table provides the available data on the numbers of households accepted as homeless and in priority need under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts in Gosport for the calendar years 1992 to 1996 and the first 9 months of 1997.

Year Homelessness acceptances
1992 161
1993 225
1994 223
1995 206
1996 204
19971 135
1 Data for three quarters only.

Under Part VI of the Housing Act 1996 authorities must establish and maintain a housing register for the purpose of allocating their housing accommodation but there is no statutory obligation for local housing authorities to hold a register of homeless applicants. Accommodation secured as a discharge of a homelessness duty need not be a tenancy allocated under Part VI of the 1996 Act.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many units of social housing have been built in the Gosport Borough Council area in each of the last five years. [27579]

Mr. Raynsford

The table shows figures of housebuilding completions (i.e. new build only) as reported to the Department by Gosport Borough Council and the National House Building Council:

Gosport Borough Council: social housing new build: completions
Numbers of dwellings
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Registered social landlords: housing associations 49 92 266 32 109
Local authority 31 14 0 0 0

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been allocated by(a) his Department and (b) the Housing Corporation to support new social housing in the Gosport Borough Council area in each of the last five years. [27580]

Mr. Raynsford

The Department provides funding for new social housing through grant-in-aid to the Housing Corporation. The grant is allocated to Registered Social Landlords through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme. Local authorities can also choose to invest in new social housing. Local authority spending on the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords which meets the Housing Corporation's criteria is reimbursed by Local Authority Social Housing Grant from the Corporation.

Allocations for the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords in the Gosport Borough Council area are shown. Additional social lettings are also provided through grants to tenants to help them buy a new home and vacate their existing dwelling for reletting, and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme for tenants (DIYSO). Expenditure on these home ownership schemes is excluded from the figures.

£ million
Year Approved development programme Local authoritysocial housinggrant
1993/94 0.14 2.46
1994/95 1.50 0.90
1995/96 1.44 1.67
1996/97 1.89 1.53
1997/98 0.04 0.59

Notes:

1. 1997/98 figures are start of year allocations.

2. The figures include allocations for new build social housing and the purchase and rehabilitation of existing private sector properties for social housing. The figures exclude allocations for: works to existing stock owned by Registered Social Landlords; temporary social and market rent housing; grants to help tenants buy a new home and vacate their existing property for reletting; and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received in the last three years from(a) public bodies, (b) voluntary organisations, (c) the private sector and (d) local associations in the Gosport Borough Council area about housing needs in that area. [27581]

Mr. Raynsford

The Secretary of State receives a number of representations from groups and information is not held centrally in the format requested about housing needs.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many properties formerly owned by Government departments have been made available to(a) the council and (b) housing associations in the Gosport Borough Council area. [27582]

Mr. Raynsford

This information is not held centrally.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the number of properties that are under-occupied in Gosport Borough; and if he will make a statement. [27918]

Mr. Raynsford

Neither the Secretary of State nor the Local Authority have made any robust assessment of the number of properties that are under-occupied in Gosport Borough.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people are on the housing transfer list of the Gosport Borough Council; and what were the equivalent figures at the same time in each of the last five years. [27919]

Mr. Raynsford

The information requested is not collected centrally.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been allocated by(a) his Department and (b) the Housing Corporation to support new social housing in the Rushmoor Borough Council area in each of the last five years. [28371]

Mr. Raynsford

The Department provides funding for new social housing through grant-in-aid to the Housing Corporation. The grant is allocated to Registered Social Landlords through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme. Local authorities can also choose to invest in new social housing. Local authority spending on the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords which meets the Housing Corporation's criteria is reimbursed by Local Authority Social Housing Grant from the Corporation.

Allocations for the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords in the Rushmoor Borough Council area are shown. Additional social lettings are also provided through grants to tenants to help them buy a new home and vacate their existing dwelling for reletting, and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme for tenants (DIYSO). Expenditure on these home ownership schemes is excluded from the figures.

£ million
1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
Approved
development programme 0.42 1.71 0.61 1.00 0.54
Local authority
social housing grant 1.46 2.50 1.70 5.54 1.66

Notes:

1. 1997–98 figures are start of year allocations.

2. The figures include allocations for new build social housing and the purchase and rehabilitation of existing private sector properties for social housing. The figures exclude allocations for: works to existing stock owned by Registered Social Landlords; temporary social and market rent housing; grants to help tenants buy a new home and vacate their existing property for reletting; and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many properties formerly owned by government departments have been made available to(a) the council and (b) housing associations in the (i) Havant Borough, (ii) Eastleigh, (iii) Test Valley Borough and (iv) New Forest District council areas in the last three years. [28152]

Mr. Raynsford

This information is not held centrally.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received in the last three years from(a) public bodies, (b) voluntary organisations, (c) the private sector and (d) local associations in the (i) Havant Borough, (ii) Eastleigh Borough, (iii) Test Valley and (iv) New Forest District council areas about housing needs for each area. [28153]

Mr. Raynsford

The Secretary of State receives a number of representations from groups and information is not held centrally in the format requested about housing needs.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been allocated by(a) his Department and (b) the Housing Corporation to support new social housing in the (i) Havant Borough, (ii) Eastleigh, (iii) Test Valley Borough and (iv) New Forest District council areas in each of the last five years. [28154]

Mr. Raynsford

The Department provides funding for new social housing through grant-in-aid to the Housing Corporation. The grant is allocated to Registered Social Landlords through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme. Local authorities can also choose to invest in new social housing. Local authority spending on the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords which meets the Housing Corporation's criteria is reimbursed by Local Authority Social Housing Grant from the Corporation.

Allocations for the provision of new social housing by Registered Social Landlords in the Havant, Eastleigh, Test Valley and New Forest areas are shown. Additional social lettings are also provided through grants to tenants to help them buy a new home and vacate their existing dwellings for reletting, and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme for tenants (DIYSO). Expenditure on these home ownership schemes is excluded from the figures.

£ million
Area 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
Havant Borough
Approved development programme 1.36 2.31 1.05 0.55 0.63
Local authority social housing grant 1.12 6.71 1.38 1.21 1.18
Eastleigh
Approved development programme 1.55 1.21 1.00 0.49 0.08
Local authority social housing grant 0.20 0.93 0.57 3.79 0.26
Test Valley Borough
Approved development programme 0.82 0.47 0.75 0.73 0.60
Local authority social housing grant 0.40 0.45 1.17 0.87 0.08
New Forest District
Approved development authority 2.57 3.18 0.48 1.95 1.38
Local authority social housing grant 3.66 1.74 2.29 1.40 1.21

Notes:

1. 1997–98 figures are start of year allocations.

2. The figures include allocations for new build social housing and the purchase and rehabilitation of existing private sector properties for social housing. The figures exclude allocations for: works to existing stock owned by Registered Social Landlords; temporary social and market rent housing; grants to help tenants buy a new home and vacate their existing property for reletting; and the Housing Corporation's Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership scheme.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people are on the housing(a) transfer and (b) waiting lists of the (i) Havant Borough, (ii) New Forest District, (iii) Test Valley Borough and (iv) Eastleigh Borough councils; and what were the equivalent figures at the same time in each of the last five years. [28155]

Mr. Raynsford

Local authorities in England report the numbers of households on their housing register/waiting list (excluding existing tenants awaiting a transfer) at 1 April each year in their annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP1) returns; no data are collected centrally on transfer lists. The reported data for 1997 and the previous 5 years are as follows:

Havant New Forest Test Valley Eastleigh
1992 1,965 502 2,997 1,789
1993 2,074 546 2,788 1,844
1994 1,959 672 2,561 1,090
1995 2,131 760 2,199 643
1996 2,194 771 1,781 1,409
1997 2,120 746 1,873 967

Local authorities have different practices for compiling and managing their housing register/waiting lists which mean that simple comparisons between authorities can be misleading. Authorities' practices may change which can also affect comparisons over time.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many properties formerly owned by government departments have been made available to(a) the council and (b) housing associations in the Rushmoor Borough Council area. [28370]

Mr. Raynsford

This information is not held centrally.