§ Mr. Spellerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Government's position with regard to the provision of local authority housing for key workers.
§ Mr. StanleyEach local authority is responsible for the management of its own housing stock, and is free to make special provisions for allocating homes to key workers.376W Under paragraph 6 of schedule 3 to the 1980 Housing Act an authority can make accommodation available on a temporary basis for up to one year to a person who has obtained an offer of employment in its area and is seeking permanent accommodation.
The national mobility scheme, which was introduced in England and Wales on 1 April 1981, will help people who need to move to a different area for employment or social reasons. The scheme is intended to be additional to existing key worker schemes. It is described in a paper entitled "National Mobility Scheme: Its Objectives, Principles, Outline Procedures and Management," copies of which have already been placed in the Library.