§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of dwellings in the west midlands region which have only outside toilets; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungThe latest available information relates to households present on census night in 1981 and is in table 7 of housing and households volume, a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many meetings his Department has held with local authorities to discuss resources in the current and next financial year for local authorities to improve dwellings which have only outside toilets.
§ Sir George YoungMy Department meets all local authorities who wish to do so once a year to discuss resources for housing investment in the following financial year. There are also additional meetings as necessary on particular topics during the course of the year. I understand that no meetings have been held specifically on resources for the improvement of dwellings which have only outside toilets.
889W
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for the Environment which Ministers in his Department have, in the past 12 months, visited dwellings where there are only outside toilets; when the visits occurred; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinMy ministerial colleagues and I have visited many dwellings during the past 12 months in the course of our duties. Some of the areas we have visited have had substandard housing. 1 am not able to give figures for the number of dwellings with only outside WCs.
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available extra resources to local authorities in order that pre-war dwellings with only outside toilets are fully improved within the present and next financial year.
§ Sir George YoungResources are allocated annually to each local authority for housing investment as a whole, following discussions with individual authorities of their housing investment programmes. It is for individual authorities to decide how best to apply those resources.
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice his Department gives to local authorities regarding the improvement of their dwellings with only outside toilets; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungThe Department does not give any specific advice to local authorities on such matters. It is up to individual authorities to determine their own work and expenditure priorities, within the resources available to them.