§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that accommodation for the elderly is provided in each of the new towns in which the Commission for the New Towns now operates and which are scheduled for the transfer of housing and related assets from 1st April 1978; whether any special financial assistance will be made available to enable receiving local authorities to complete old people's dwellings schemes already started or 285W planned; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettThe provision of housing to meet the needs of the districts after transfer of housing under the New Towns Amendment Act 1976, including the needs of the elderly, will be the responsibility of the relevant district councils. The normal housing subsidy and loan sanction arrangements will apply. Where appropriate, I understand that the parties to transfer schemes in the Commission towns have agreed to make suitable arrangements for the completion, and subsequent ownership by the district council, of accommodation for the elderly which is still under construction at the time of housing transfer.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current building programme for the financial year 1977–78 for old people's dwellings by the category of (a) warden-supervised, (b) fully-supervised with central facilities and (c) independent units
Housing Programmes Crawley Hemel Hempstead Hatfield Welwyn Garden City 1962–63 … … … … … — 8 — — 1963–64 … … … … … 16 29 — — 1964–65 … … … … … — 80 — — 1965–66 … … … … … — 5 — — 1966–67 … … … … … 18 6 — — 1967–68 … … … … … — — — — 1968–69 … … … … … — — — — 1969–70 … … … … … — 120 — — 1970–71 … … … … … — 36 — — 1971–72 … … … … … — 52 63 — 1972–73 … … … … … — — — 25 1973–74 … … … … … 28 56 — 8 1974–75 … … … … … 84 — — 30 1975–76 … … … … … — 28 — 28 1976–77 … … … … … 76 43 — — 222 463 63 91 Under construction … … … 64 97 36 86 Number of: (a) Warden supervised … … 170 505 62 38 (b) Fully supervised with central facilities — 183 — 93 (c) Independent units … … 52 254 16 — These figures reflect the fact that the previous Hemel Hempstead Development Corporation provided dwellings specifically for elderly persons. Independent units suitable for the elderly were provided in the other Commission towns by the respective previous development corporations but these were not limited to occupation by elderly persons. This is
286Win each of the new towns in which the Commission for the New Towns operates.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettThe housing programme for the calendar year 1977 for the Commission for the New Towns provides for the acceptance of tenders for the following schemes for elderly persons dwellings
Crawley: Barrington House, 18 warden-supervised dwellings.Welwyn Garden City: Glebeland, 36 warden-supervised dwellings.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what, in each year since it started operating has been the programme for building old people's dwellings in each of the new towns in which the Commission for the New Town operates; and how many of the current places by town are (a) warden-supervised, (b) fully-supervised with central facilities and (c) independent units in each of the new towns in which the Commission for the New Towns operates.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettThe information, which relates to dwellings provided by the Commission for the New Towns is as follows:
also true of independent units suitable for the elderly which have been provided subsequently by the Commission for the New Towns. In addition, elderly persons dwellings have been built by district councils and by housing associations on Commission land. The Report of the Commission for the New Towns for the 287W period ended 31st March 1976 contains a summary of the position at that date.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the annual cost of providing old people's dwellings to the Commission for the New Towns in those towns in which it operates; what amount of each annual spending came from Government grants; and what amount came from which local authorities.
§ Mr. Guy BarnettThe information is being assembled and I will write to my hon. Friend later this week.