HC Deb 28 January 2003 vol 398 cc785-6W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homes were owned by the council in Coventry in each of the last five years. [93140]

Mr. McNulty

Local authorities report their number of council homes as at 1 April on their annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns. Based on Coventry City Council's recent returns the reported numbers of council homes were:

As at 1 April Number
1998 20,359
1999 20,175
2000 19,886

The Council ceased to have any council housing in September 2000, following the transfer of the council stock under the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Large Scale Voluntary Transfer Programme (LSVT) to new Registered Social Landlords—Whitefriars North and Whitefriars South, within the Whitefriars Housing Group.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the level of housing need has been in Coventry in each of the last five years. [93141]

Mr. McNulty

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 7 January 2003,Official Report, column 115W. Local authorities in England report the numbers of households on their housing register (excluding tenants awaiting transfers) as at 1 April in their annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns. Based on Coventry City Council's recent returns the reported numbers in the last five years are:

As at 1 April Number
1998 7,767
1999 8,915
2000 8,458
2001 6,295
2002 7,104