§ Mr. Raceasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the incidence of poor or inadequate housing, as defined for the purposes of calculating grant from central Government to local authorities under the rate support grant formula, for each local authority in England.
§ Mr. KingThe incidence of poor or inadequate housing is not an indicator used directly in the assessment of grant related expenditure. Estimates of the numbers of children under five in housing lacking amenities or overcrowded—indicator C7—and the numbers of elderly people in housing lacking amenities—indicator C14—are used in the assessment of grant related expenditure for the personal social services. In addition, use is made in the GRE components for several services of a standard index of relative housing and social conditions comprising eight separate indicators.
For exact descriptions of the composition of these indicators, I refer the hon. Member to the "Rate Support Grant Report (England) 1982–83." For a description of the way in which the indicators are used in the assessment of GRE, I refer the hon. Member to the Department's publication "Grant Related Expenditure: How the Expenditure Needs of Local Authorities are assessed for Block Grant 1982–83". Copies of both documents are available in the library.
I have placed in the Library figures showing the value of each of the indicators C7 and C14 for each authority.