Housing Policy (Advisory and Study Groups)

HC Deb 17 March 1976 vol 907 cc574-8W

Mr. George Cunningham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the various working parties, advisory groups and similar bodies, however called, currently examining aspects of housing policy, stating in each case the precise subject, the date of setting up the group, the composition of the group and the expected date for the completion of its work.

Mr. Freeson

Excluding ad hoc and official groups which are set up as part of normal departmental activity, the list is as follows:

Housing Finance Review Advisory Group

Date of establishment: April 1975 Terms of reference: the group advises upon the review being carried out by the Department of the arrangements for finance for the provision of housing, and the assistance, direct and indirect, given from public funds; and of what changes are desirable to facilitate adequate, timely and economical provision to meet differing needs with reasonable freedom of choice, and to secure a more equitable and balanced distribution of assistance. Compostion: Secretary of State for the Environment (chairman); Minister for Housing and Construction; Under-Secretary of State for Wales; Mr. J. R. Coward, OBE; Professor J. B. Cullingworth; Councillor K. Gould; Mr. M. Harloe; Councillor Mrs. P. L. Hollis; Mr. F. Layfield, QC; Councillor J. A. D. Mills; Miss A. A. Nevitt; Mr. J. R. L. Potter; Councillor D. J. Seligman; Mr. H. G. Simpson, OBE; Mr. P. Trench, CBE; Mr. R. K. Wilkinson. Date for completion of work: the recommendations of the review are expected to be published in the spring or early summer of this year.

Working Group on House Purchase Finance

Date of establishment: October 1975 Terms of reference: to consider certain aspects of mortgage finance within the context of the work of the Housing Finance Review. Composition: Mr. J. R. Adamson, Councillor M. R. L. Cowan, Mr. R. T. Gardner, Mr. N. P. Hepworth, Mr. P. J. Nicholson, Professor J. R. S. Revell, Mr. B. Robarts, Councillor C. V. Wilkinson, and representatives from the Department of the Environment, the Treasury, the Scottish Office, the Bank of England, and the Registry of Friendly Societies. Date for completion of work: the first stage of the work covered by the group is now nearing completion.

Joint Advisory Committee on Building Society Mortgage Finance

Date of establishment: October 1973 Terms of reference: to consider issues relating to the rôle of building societies in the housing market, with the following objectives:

1. (i) to continue to support the growth of owner occupation;
2. (ii) to produce and maintain a flow of mortgage funds to enable the housebuilding industry to plan for a high and stable level of housebuilding for sale;
3. (iii) to contribute towards the stablisation of house prices;
4. (iv) to maintain an orderly housing market in which, subject to (iii) above, sufficient mortgage funds are available to allow purchasers to exercise a reasonable choice of owning the sort of house they want.

Composition: representatives from the Building Societies Association, the Department of the Environment, the Treasury, the Bank of England, and Registry of Friendly Societies. A Technical Sub-Committee similarly composed, advises the Main Committee as appropriate. Date for completion of work: advice is provided on a continuing basis.

Housing Services Advisory Group

Date of establishment: December 1975 Terms of reference: to consider the form and rôle of the Housing Services Advisory Unit, to identify the field which the housing service should embrace, and to identify, examine and provide guidance on the handling of specific issues. Composition: Mr. J. A. Baichin, Mr. R. Best, Councillor F. D. Bushell, Mr. T. F. Collinson, Councillor L. Eilbeck, Mrs. J. Griffin, Councillor D. B. Hoodless, Miss V. A. Karn, Mr. M. C. Lee, Mr. N. J. L. Pearce, Mr. P. Price, Councillor A. Roberts, Mr. H. G. Simpson OBE, and representatives from the Department of the Environment. Date for completion of work: advice is provided on a continuing basis.

Working Group on New Forms of Housing Tenure

Date of establishment: November 1975. Terms of reference: to consider new forms of social ownership, tenure and management, and methods by which wider opportunities may be provided for individuals to share in the ownership and management of their homes. Composition: Mr. H. Campbell (Chairman), Mr. J. W. Baker, Mrs. M. Ferman, Mr. R. Gardner, Mr. M. Harloe, Councillor Mrs. P. Hollis, Mr. J. W. Hughes, Sir Dennis Pilcher, CBE, Mr. H. G. Simpson, OBE, Councillor C. V. Wilkinson, Councillor D. Wood and representatives from the Department of the Environment. Date for completion of work: a preliminary report to be considered as part of the Housing Finance Review is expected at the end of March.

Study Group on Programmes of Social Ownership and Renovation of Council Dwellings

Date of establishment: May 1975. Terms of reference: to examine programmes proposed by local authorities in England for (a) acquiring privately owned dwellings; and (b) renovating council owned dwellings by means of improvement and capitalised repairs; and in the light of available evidence as to relative needs based on authorities' renewal strategies and other sources of information, to assess priorities within these programmes for the allocation of available resources from 1976–77 onwards. The Study Group has remitted to a Working Party the task of co-ordinating the assembly of data, and of producing advice on specific related issues. Composition of Study Group: Minister for Housing and Construction (Chairman), Mr. R. A. Balfe, Councillor J. Brocklebank, CBE, Councillor F. D. Bushell, Councillor H. L. Cowans, Mr. I. Harrington, Alderman P. H. Hartley, Councillor D. B. Hoodless, Mr. T. Judge, Councillor T. McLatchie, Councillor C. E. Merrett, Councillor W. J. Passmore, Mr. L. A. Plowman, Alderman Sir Lou Sherman, OBE, Councillor C. E. Shopland, Mr. H. G. Simpson, OBE, Councillor J. Smart, Mr. B. H. Wilson, CBE, Councillor R. M. Winter, Councillor A. G. Wyatt, and representatives from the Department of the Environment. Composition of Working Party: Mr. B. A. Crofton, Mr. P. Johnson, Mr. M. C. Lee, Mr. G. F. Martel, Mr. F. Masters, CBE, Mr. W. J. Nicholson, Mr. D. Peckham, Mr. I. L. Podmore, Mr. J. A. Seabourne, Mr. H. G. Simpson, OBE, Mr. R. Sparkes, Mr. F. W. Ward, OBE, Mr. W. Woof and representatives from the Department of the Environment. Date for completion of work: A first report has already been produced by the Group which is expected to continue its work for an indefinite period.

Working Party on the Housing Cost Yardstick

Date of establishment: June 1975. Terms of reference: to examine future arrangements for cost control of local authority housebuilding; and to make recommendations. Composition: Officer representatives from the local authority associations, the Department of the Environment and other interested Government Departments. Date for completion of work: no fixed date.

Action Croup on London Housing

Date of establishment: September 1971. Terms of reference: to review regularly and at frequent intervals the progress of the drive to eliminate the London housing shortage and to take any action necessary to keep up its momentum. Composition: Under-Secretary of State (chairman), Mr. R. A. Balfe, Mr. B. Bancroft, Councillor Mrs. S. A. Berkery Smith, O.B.E., Mr. R. Best, Alderman D. Cobbold, Councillor C. Dryland, Mr. S. T. Evans, Mr. B. Perkins, Alderman Sir Lou Sherman, O.B.E., Mr. H. G. Simpson, O.B.E., Alderman A. G. Taylor, Mr. B. H. Wilson, C.B.E., Mr. D. H. Yates, and representatives from the Department of the Environment. Date for completion of work: advice is provided on a continuing basis.

Advisory Committee on Rent Rebates and Rent Allowances

Date of establishment: March 1973 Terms of reference: This is a statutory committee set up under section 23 of the Housing Finance Act 1972 to advise the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales on any question relating to the operation of rent rebate schemes, and allowance schemes in general, or of particular rebate schemes, or to the advisability of varying the provisions of Schedules 3 or 4 to the Act. Composition: Professor J. B. Cullingworth (chairman), Mr. A. Bailey, the Rev. P. Byrne, O.B.E., Councillor Mrs. I. F. Candy, C.B.E., Councillor P. C. H. Cary, Lord Crawshaw, Councillor N. P. Lister, Mrs. B. Rodgers, Mr. H. G. Simpson, O.B.E., Mr. L. E. Waddilove, O.B.E., Mr. W. Woof, Miss A Evans Date for completion of work: advice is provided on a continuing basis.

Mobile Homes Review

Date of establishment: December 1974. Terms of reference: to review in consultation with interested bodies, the problems of mobile home residents and the contribution that mobile homes make towards meeting the nation's housing needs; in particular, to consider the relevant legislative provisions as they affect owners and residents; the planning considerations involved; and the problems of charges, security of tenure and ownership of mobile homes which may arise; and to advise the Secretary of State on legislative or other action which should be considered. Composition: Under-Secretary of State (chairman), representatives from the Department of the Environment, Department of Trade, Department of Industry and Department of Consumer Protection. The Welsh and Scottish Offices will be associated with the Review as necessary. Date for completion of work; a report is expected before the end of this year.

Construction and Housing Research Advisory Council

Date of establishment: late 1971. Terms of reference: within the fields of construction and housing (including construction of roads and ports) for which the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Scotland and Wales are responsible, to advise the Secretaries of State on the requirements for, and possible applications of research and development in, the fields of construction and housing: and on the broad shape and priorities of the Departments' research and development programmes. Composition: Mr. P. Trench, CBE (Chairman), Professor R. C. Coates, Mr. M. H. Couchman, Mr. P. A. Denison, Mr. I. A. de Normann, Mr. A. Gordon, CBE, Mr. T. W. Gregory, OBE, Mr. N. Harris, CBE, Mr. C. Hobbs, Professor P. L. Martin, Miss A. A. Nevitt, Dr. R. E. Rowe, Mr. G. F. Smith, CBE, Mr. H. L. Yeadon, and representatives from the Department of the Environment, the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Health and Social Security and the Scottish Development Department. Date for completion of work: advice is provided on a continuing basis.

Advisory Group of Chief Officers on Local Authority Housebuilding

Date of establishment: November 1975. Terms of reference: to advise on the production of a Code of Procedures for local authority housebuilding in the light of the recommendations of the NEDO report "The Public Client and the Construction Industries". Composition: Mr. B. C. Adams, Mr. D. Bergman, Mr. L. Boardman, Mr. D. W. Crabtree, Mr. P. W. Ferry, Mr. R. H. Moores, Mr. D. Peckham, Mr. C. D. Squire, Mr. H. P. Trenton, Mr. W. Woof, Mr. W. D. Worden, Mr. W. A. Gorgolewski, and representatives from the Department of the Environment. Date for completion of work: about May 1977.