§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take further action to reduce the number of council houses which have been empty for a long period.
§ Mr. StanleyA small minority of authorities have significant numbers of houses and flats which have been vacant for more than a year. It is a matter of concern that authorities HIP returns last year showed that on 1 April 1982 there were some 19,000 council dwellings which had been vacant for more than a year. This is despite the fact that councils have a range of options open to them for bringing empty properties back into use whether by sales or by long-term or short-term lettings, and despite the underspend on housing of some £400 million in 1981–82 and a likely major underspend again in 1982–83. In the HIP returns for 1984–85 which have just been issued, councils are being asked to indicate their specific intentions, with expenditure bids, for bringing any dwellings that have been vacant for more than a year back into use. It is also being made clear that in determining the 1984–85 HIP allocations, particular account will be taken of bids to bring long-term vacant dwellings back into use whether by means of sale or for rent.