§ Mr. Wallerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give an approximate estimate of the cost to ratepayers in lost rate revenue incurred by those local authorities which have kept over 1,000 dwellings empty for over a year.
§ Mr. KingThe cost to ratepayers in rate revenue lost by local authorities with over 1,000 empty dwellings during 1979–80 was approximately:
Authority Number of empty dwellings Lost rate income £000 Camden 1,080 346 Lambeth 1,189 355 Southwark 1,196 299 Hackney 1,267 340 Knowsley 1,400 268 Islington 1,401 437 Manchester 1,869 439