§ Mr. Gerald Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest figures available for the number of home owners in the borough of Southwark; how this compares with the years 1979 and 1983; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TraceyThe latest available figures for Southwark are from the 1981 Census which counted 13,111 households who were owner-occupiers, representing 15.8 per cent. of all the households present on census night.
Since 1979 there has been an unparalleled growth in owner-occupation in Britain, as a result of the measures
£ 000 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1 1986–87 Operational Expenditure 4,750 5,269 5,458 5,907 6,357 Loan Fund Replenishment2 — 1,500 — 450 650 Redundant Building Grant Scheme3 10 500 1,192 1,770 1,300 1 Approved Estimate. 2 Loan Fund replenishment is made available to finance loans that cannot be financed from capital repayments. 3 The administration of a scheme of grants for the conversion of redundant buildings for approved purposes is undertaken by CoSIRA on behalf of the Development Commission. Note:
CoSIRA's Grant aid for the financial year 1987–88 is currently under consideration.
396Wintroduced to enable tenants to buy council housing. From April 1979 to March 1983, 688 council houses and flats in Southwark were sold; the latest figures received show 752 were sold from April 1983 to March 1986.