§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will estimate the total of housing debt owed by local authorities; [123015]
(2) if he will estimate the total of housing debt owed by local authorities in Great Britain. [123014]
§ Mr. MullinLocal authorities manage their debt corporately so there are no separate figures for debt in respect of housing. We do, however, make estimates of notional housing debt for the purposes of revenue subsidy calculations. The England total estimated housing debt for subsidy purposes for 2000–01 is £19.3 billion. With regard to these matters in Scotland and Wales, the responsibility has been passed to the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly.