§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the extensions for eligibility under the homes insulation scheme; and what advice he will give to local authorities on ways of advertising the availability of the homes insulation scheme to those in greatest need.
§ Mr. StanleyThe homes insulation scheme was extended to include public sector tenants on 1 November 1979. Local authorities have been asked to distribute free leaflets and posters advertising the scheme as widely as possible and particularly to citizens advice bureaux, libraries, old people's day centres and retail outlets.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been allocated to the homes insulation scheme for 1980–81; if this is separate from the total housing investment programme allocations for 1980–81; and how this figure compares with the amount allocated for each of the past two years at 1979–80 prices.
§ Mr. StanleyThe 1980–81 allocation for the homes insulation scheme is £9800W million at 1979 survey prices. It continues to be a separate provision within the housing investment programme allocations for 1980–81 because this is necessary under the Homes Insulation Act 1978. For 1978–79 the allocation was about £22.2 million and the outturn was £8.4 million. For 1979–80 the allocation was £23.5 million and the estimated out-turn is about £12 million. All figures are at 1979 survey prices. Because of the move to a single block HIP allocation, there is no specific public sector energy conservation programme for 1980–81, but authorities can use as much of their housing investment programme allocation for this purpose as they wish.