§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps lie will take to establish an up-to-date estimate of the number of houses in England and Wales that are empty at present.
§ Mr. Reginald FreesonLocal authorties provide the Department with annual returns in each year's Relets Inquiry which includes information about empty local authority dwellings; the results for 1975 will be available shortly. There is no equivalent annual survey of empty houses in private ownership. I am considering the need for a more comprehensive1194W assessment in the light of other competing demands on public resources.