§ Mr. Warrenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the national vacant dwelling survey was started; when it will be completed; and what are reasons for the slow progress of the survey.
§ Mr. DeakinsI have been asked to reply.
The vacant property survey was announced in Parliament on 20th April 1977. The purpose of the inquiry was to establish the number and characteristics of vacant properties. The study investigated changes in ownership, amenities, structure and tenure while dwellings were vacant, reasons for vacancies and the owner's intentions for properties still vacant. The field work took place between September 1977 and February 1978. This was a complicated survey in which data often had to be collected from several different people in connection with each vacancy. The processing, analysis and interpretation of such data takes some time, but this reflects its complexity rather than slow progress. Some results will be available to the Department later this year; it is expected that the full report will be published in 1979.