§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his statement on 10 November, Official Report, c. 422–31, regarding grants for repairs to prefabricated concrete houses sold by public bodies will apply to houses sold by the National Coal Board to purchasers in Rhodesia near Worksop.
§ Mr. GowThe scheme which I announced on 10 November is intended to assist qualifying owners of houses originally sold by, inter alia, the National Coal Board. As I said in my statement, we have in mind that it should apply to all types of prefabricated reinforced concrete house built before 1960, but no final decisions have been taken on the initial coverage.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will have consultations with building societies regarding the refusal to give mortgages to prospective buyers of fabricated concrete houses formerly built by the National Coal Board following his announcement of funds for repair.
§ Mr. GowFollowing my statement to the House on 10 November.—[Vol. 48, c. 422–431.]—the Building Societies Association has been invited to comment on the proposals for legislation which I announced and has been informed that the Department is ready to discuss the250W position generally with the association. It is for the prospective mortgagee to consider in each case whether the property offers adequate security for the proposed loan.
§ Mr. Barronasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has given to public bodies, such as the National Coal Board, which have substantial estates of prefabricated reinforced concrete houses following his statement to the House on 10 November, Official Report, c. 422–431.
§ Mr. GowFollowing the statement of my hon. Friend, the member for Tonbridge and Malling (Mr. Stanley) on 8 February 1983.—[Vol. 36, c. 893–900.]—steps were taken to inform other Government Departments and public bodies which own substantial numbers of prefabricated reinforced concrete dwellings on the importance of providing full information to prospective purchasers of such dwellings, and on valuation. Steps have been taken to provide those bodies with copies of my statement of 10 November, of the Building Research Establishment's information paper on the structural condition of some prefabricated reinforced concrete houses, and of the consultation paper sent to local authority associations on the proposed legislation.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his statement on 10 November, Official Report, c. 423, how the value of concrete prefabricated houses to be purchased by local authorities will be calculated; and whether the houses will be purchased at 95 per cent. of the current market value.
§ Mr. GowAs I said in my statement on 10 November—[Vol. 48, c. 422–431]—owners whose houses are repurchased by local authorities would under our proposal receive 95 per cent. of defect-free value of the house, ie in principle, the price which the owner might reasonably have expected to obtain for his house had it not been suffering from, or been expected to suffer from, the defects leading to the inclusion of houses of that type within the scheme of assistance.