§ Mr. Majorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to make any changes in the present limits for home renovation grants; and whether he is yet able to make any statement about his proposals for wider changes to the home renovation grant system.
§ Mr. StanleyMy right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Wales will shortly be laying an order to increase the eligible expense limits for intermediate, repairs and special grants to the levels set out below. We are not announcing any general increase in the eligible expense limit for improvement grants whilst the Housing Bill is still before the House, but my right hon. Friends will be prepared to consider applications from local authorities for an increase in this limit in those housing action areas where such an increase would be justified by the high cost of works.
My right hon. Friends will also be laying an order to increase the amount of local authority expenditure on environmental works on which Exchequer contribution is payable to £400 per dwelling 189W in both housing action areas and general improvement areas.
These increases are being made under existing powers and reflect cost increases up to the end of last year. They mark the first stage in significant changes in the system of home renovation grants which the Government intends to make using the powers contained in the Housing Bill. Details of these changes are set out in the Department's paper " The Proposed Framework of the Home Renovation Grant System" and in a similar paper covering Wales, copies of which have been placed in the Library and sent to the local authority associations today.
NEW ELIGIBLE EXPENSE LIMITS £ Intermediate grant—repairs element 2,000 Intermediate grant—standard amenities— bath/shower 250 water to bath 300 basin 100 water to basin 150 sink 250 water to sink 200 WC 350 Special Grant—limit as for intermediate grant per standard amenity. Repairs grant 2,000