HC Deb 03 June 1986 vol 98 cc503-5W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will extend to tenants of wheelchair housing the right to qualify for a transferably discount to purchase property on the open market; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what representations he has received from disability organisations concerning the extension of the transferable discount scheme to tenants of wheelchair housing owned by local authorities or housing associations; and if he will make a statement.

Sir George Young

Representations have been received from the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation. The transferable discount scheme currently in operation serves a limited and specific purpose: to help those tenants of charitable housing associations whose homes have been provided with assistance from public funds and who would have had the right to buy but for the charitable status of their landlord. There is no general presumption that tenants whose homes are excluded from the right to buy should receive financial compensation and we have no plans to extend the transferable discount scheme to tenants of wheelchair housing.

I sympathise with disabled tenants who wish to become home owners and I hope that local authorities will do what they can to assist them. Authorities can, for instance, offer vacant housing for sale at a discount, and provide assistance towards costs of adaptation.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many tenants of housing associations have applied for a transferable discount; and if he will express this figure as a percentage of the total number of housing units owned by housing associations whose tenants are eligible for transferable discounts.

Sir George Young

Up to 31 March 1986, 7,543 tenants of housing associations in England had applied for a transferable discount under the home ownership scheme for tenants of charitable housing associations. This represents just under 4 per cent. of the tenants who live in houses owned by housing associations that are eligible for the scheme.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the annual cost to public funds of offering transferable discounts to tenants of wheelchair housing owned by local authorities or housing associations on the same basis as to abled-bodied tenants of housing associations.

Sir George Young

There are estimated to be some 14,600 public sector wheelchair dwellings in England and Wales, and a further 27,000 dwellings for the disabled where substantial adaptations would be likely to result in their exclusion from the right to buy. Both types of dwelling need to be taken into account.

The average transferable discount granted under the home ownership scheme for tenants of charitable housing associations (HOTCHA) is £13,400. Assuming the same rate of assistance, and take-up corresponding to the national average rate under the right to buy (15 per cent.), the total cost of a transferable discount scheme for disabled tenants would be £83 million. If take-up were closer to the 4 per cent. rate under the HOTCHA scheme, costs would be correspondingly lower. No reliable estimate of annual costs can be made.