§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of properties owned by housing associations in Scotland; how many of these properties have been sold to tenants in the last five years for which records are available; and what percentage of the total number the number sold represents.
§ Mr. YoungerIt is estimated that, at 31 March 1985, registered housing associations in Scotland owned some 36,900 properties, of which approximately 28,500 were general needs houses. The number of houses sold to sitting tenants in the five years to that date is shown in the table.
The total sales represent 0.23 per cent. of the total housing stock.
Year No. of Sales 1980–81 nil 1981–82 nil 1982–83 25 1983–84 45 1984–85 13 Total 83
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total Government contribution to the budgets of Scottish housing associations in each of the last five years for which records are available.
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§ Mr. YoungerFinance for housing association capital projects is provided initially through short-term lending by the Housing Corporation and through a smaller programme of lending by local authorities. Total capital expenditure by the housing association movement in Scotland in each financial year since 1980–81 is shown in table A.
Table A Financial Year £ million 1980–81 72.48 1981–82 96.04 1982–83 117.76 1983–84 118.22 1984–85 108.35 The estimated expenditure for 1985–86 is £110.55 million.
As each project reaches completion, the short-term loan is replaced by housing association grant (HAG) and a long-term loan from the Housing Corporation or the local authority. HAG normally meets some 85 per cent. to 90 per cent. of the cost of the project. Total expenditure on housing association grants and payments under the earlier subsidy arrangements by the Government to the housing association movement in Scotland in each financial year since 1980–81 is shown in table B.
Table B Financial Year £ million 1980–81 50.61 1981–82 82.80 1982–83 104.17 1983–84 115.75 1984–85 127.68 The estimated expenditure for 1985–86 is £114.23 million.
Finally, there is a number of revenue-related grants paid by the Scottish Development Department for which associations may qualify according to their circumstances.