§ Mr. SawfordTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce the allocation of resources for housing authorities in England for 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [143368]
§ Mr. RaynsfordWe are issuing details today of the revenue allocations for 2001–02. Details of capital allocations made through the Housing Investment Programme were given last week. Copies of the documents setting out the allocations to individual authorities are being placed in the Library of the House.
The £2.6 billion package of housing capital resources for 2001–02 is well over twice the amount allocated in 1997–98, and represents an increase of 24 per cent. in the resources compared to the current year.
2001–02 will see the introduction of resource accounting within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), including the new Major Repairs Allowance (MRA). Resource accounting is part of the new, more businesslike approach to local authority housing and the delivery of better quality services. The MRA will mean that some £1.6 billion of the housing capital resources available next year will be paid through HRA subsidy, to enable all authorities to maintain the condition of their housing stock over the longer term.
Introducing the MRA will require changes to the accounting arrangement for HRA. I have made regulations to give effect to these changes and they have today been laid before the House.
We are combating years of under-investment in the fabric of our council stock. We are determined to improve the quality of council housing and the services to tenants.