HC Deb 19 December 1985 vol 89 cc257-9W
Mr. Gregory

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the level of rent arrears in respect of council house accommodation for each year

Mr. Tracey

The London borough of Newham has requested that surplus GLC-owned land at the northern end of the Thames barrier should be transferred to the borough council at abolition. That request is being considered against the background that the general principles of the proposed property transfer order would result in the land passing initially to the London Residuary body.

Mr. Fatchett

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list separately for (a) the six metropolitan county councils and (b) the Greater London council, the number of civil servants working in his Department on duties associated with the implementation of the Local Government Act 1985, listing in each case the numbers and ranks of officers and the estimated cost per year of each group.

Mr. Tracey

[pursuant to his reply, 16 December 1985, c. 15]: The information the hon. Member requested is as follows.

It has not been possible in all cases to divide staff effort on implementation of the Act between effort in relation to the GLC and MCCs. Staff whose duties fall into this category are listed under "general implementation".

The cost, including accommodation, of employing these staff for a full year would be approximately £2.95 million (1985 prices), including £340,000 for the staff whose work relates wholly to the GLC and £320,000 for the staff whose work relates wholly to the MCCs.

since 1979 for (a) England, (b) York, (c) Leeds, (d) Darlington, (e) Middlesbrough, (f) Durham, (g) Sheffield and (h) Hull.

Sir George Young

Provisional figure for gross rent arrears on 31 March in each of the years since 1979 were as follows:

£ million
1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
England (all authorities) 54.39 97.6 97.1 126.61 161.81 183.0 203.7
York District Council 0.01 0.006 0.04 0.06 0.07 0.14 0.09
Leeds Metropolitan District Council 0.97 0.66 1.82 1.18 2.56 3.24 3.10
Darlington District Council 0.06 0.09 0.16 0.16 0.17 0.12 0.10
Middlesbrough District Council 0.12 0.25 0.37 0.73 0.90 0.84 0.91
Durham District Council N/A 0.006 0.007 0.02 0.03 0.03 0.04
Sheffield Metropolitan District Council 0.75 0.65 0.86 1.53 1.94 3.63 9.65
Kingston-upon-Hull District Council 0.30 0.32 0.62 0.63 0.79 0.72 0.82

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