§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment under what legislation he is empowered to undertake his Department's "English House Conditions Survey 1976"; how many surveyors from his Department are employed in this task; what is the total cost of this exercise; how many of the 9,000 sample forms have (a) been returned and (b) received agreement; and if he will stop this exercise immediately as a departmental contribution to cutting public expenditure.
§ Mr. FreesonThis is the third House condition survey for England. As its predecessors in 1967 and 1971 did, it will provide up-to-date information about the nations stock of dwellings, which is vital to the development of soundly based housing policies. The current survey follows the general pattern previously established.
No specific statutory authority is required. No householder is obliged to answer questions or allow access to his home, but I hope that all will help in this important project. Over 4,600 completed forms have so far been received. Only 74 householders have declined to take part in the survey. Forty-five surveyors seconded from local authorities, but operating away from their own local authority areas, are carrying out the survey. The total cost is estimated as £250,000.
I have no intention of curtailing the survey, whose benefits, especially to 218W those in poor housing and in terms of better use of housing resources in future, should far outweigh the costs involved.