§ Lord Coleraineasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will give, in respect of a recent convenient period, the following information about "right to buy" owners of dwellinghouses who became liable under Section 155 of the Housing Act 1985 to repay discount, distinguishing between the owners of houses and of flats:
- (a) how many owners became liable to repay discounts;
- (b) what was the average price which these owners had paid for their dwellinghouses, expressed both in money terms and as a percentage of "value" as defined in Section 127 of the Housing Act 1985; and
- (c) what was the average discount which these owners become liable to repay, expressed both in money terms and as a percentage of discount originally allowed.
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Elton)Statistics on discount repayment are not collected in the detail requested by the noble Lord. The following is information currently available.
We estimate that in 1985 a total of £26 million was repaid to local authorities in England by owners who had become liable to repay discount under Section 155 of the Housing Act 1985 (relating to right to buy sales) or under Section 35 of that Act (relating to voluntary disposals at a discount). The number of dwellings in respect of which discount was repaid is not known: this information will be collected as from next quarter.
Average prices and discounts for all dwellings sold by local authorities in England in each of the last five years are as follows:
AVERAGE PRICE £ as % of market value Average discount £ 1981 9,800 59 6,900 1982 9,800 57 7,200 1983 10,400 59 7,300 1984 11,800 56 9,100 1985 12,500 54 10,600