§ Mr. Durantasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings he estimates are vacant; how far this is attributable to the effects of the Rent Acts; and what steps he is taking to bring vacant dwellings back into use.
§ Mr. StanleyThe vacant property survey, published today, shows that there were about 550,000 vacant dwellings in the spring of 1977, of which 220,000 were previously privately rented, 115,000 let by local authorities and 175,000 owner-occupied. Copies have been placed in the Library. Of the 220,000 in the private rented sector, the survey indicates that between 8,000 and 62,000 were being kept empty wholly or partly because of the Rent Acts.
The Government are introducing short-hold to help bring vacant dwellings back into use in the private sector. In the public sector, the Housing Bill will help local authorities reduce the number of vacant dwellings through the new improvement for sale scheme, through homesteading schemes and through the special provisions in the Bill for short-term let-tings to the homeless, students and job-movers.