HC Deb 09 May 2002 vol 385 cc299-300W
Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment was made of congestion levels in each region when determining the level of provision made for new additional housing; and what influence this had on the final level of provision made for new additional housing outlined in regional planning guidance. [54911]

Mr. Byers

Annual rates of housing provision are established through regional planning guidance and the spatial strategy it sets out. The strategy is prepared having regard to a number of matters including the capacity of urban areas to accommodate more housing, the physical and social infrastructure needed to support additional housing and the environmental implications of doing so.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the estimated environmental costs is to each local authority arising from the level of provision made for new additional housing; and what influence this had on the final level of provision made for new additional housing as outlined in regional planning guidance. [54912]

Mr. Byers

Annual rates of housing provision are established through regional planning guidance and the spatial strategy it sets out. The draft strategy is subjected to a sustainability appraisal in accordance with good practice guidance issued by my Department. A report outlining the findings of this appraisal is published prior to the public examination of the draft strategy. This report is an important consideration for the panel that holds the public examination and for me in considering what changes, if any, to make to the draft strategy following receipt of their report.

Mr. Breed

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2002,Official Report, column 976W, on affordable housing, what the proportion of affordable homes in rural areas was to the total number of affordable homes for each year since 1990. [54853]

Ms Keeble

The table shows the number and proportion of affordable homes in rural areas (with a population of 3,000 or fewer) funding through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme and by local authorities compared with the total number of affordable homes funded by the same means in England in each year since 1990.

Year Rural All (England) % of completions that are rural
1991–92 803 31,504 2.6
1992–93 2,268 50,045 4.5
1993–94 1,567 64,834 2.4
1994–95 1,341 70,781 1.9
1995–96 1,811 68,790 2.6
1996–97 1,678 51,412 3.3
1997–98 2,020 45,765 4.4
1998–99 1,792 42,011 4.3
1999–2000 1,533 33,808 4.5
2000–01 1,278 30,931 4.1
2001–02 1,371 29,846 4.6

Mr. Breed

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2002,Official Report, column 976W, on affordable housing, how many affordable homes in rural settlements in England with a population of 3,000 or less were completed and funded by 31 March. [54852]

Ms Keeble

1,371 affordable homes in small settlements with a population of 3,000 or fewer were completed and funded through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme and by local authorities from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002.

Mr. Breed

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2002,Official Report, column 448W, on affordable housing, what the Housing Corporation's budget was in each of the last 10 years; and what amount was allocated to its (a) revenue and (b) capital programmes. [54910]

Ms Keeble

The table shows the Housing Corporation's capital and revenue expenditure for the years 1993–94 to 2001–02. The figures for 2002–03 are the budget figures for the current year.

Housing Corporation expenditure
Outturn £ million
Capital Revenue Total
1993–94 1,796.4 136.0 1,932.4
1994–95 1,483.5 146.1 1,629.6
1995–96 1,142.2 199.9 1,342.1
1996–97 1,044.4 198.8 1,243.2
1997–98 683.8 217.3 901.1
1998–99 606.5 207.6 814.1
1999–2000 637.8 149.3 787.1
2000–01 717.0 154.0 871.0
2001–02 774.6 143.0 917.6
2002–03 917.6 184.3 1,101.9

Notes:

  1. 1. Capital outturn is for ADP funding only.
  2. 2. Revenue funding includes Supported Housing Management Grant, Innovation and Good Practice Grants, Supplementary Management Grant, Tax Relief Grant, Hostel Deficit Grant, Revenue Deficit Grant, Rough Sleepers Initiative and Estate Renewal Challenge Fund Grant.
  3. 3. This table does not include local authority social housing grant funding.