§ Mr. Squireasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment has been made of the balance between the number of dwellings in London and the number of households there; and if he will make a statement of the implications of this balance for planning policy in London.
§ Mr. TraceyThe 1981 population census indicated a numerical excess of dwellings compared with households in London, but such an excess is not necessarily a satisfactory indicator of absence of pressure of demand for housing in an area; correspondingly it does not imply that housing provision can now be given a low weight in London planning policy. Some dwellings are not actually available (being vacant and awaiting or undergoing repair and renovation, second homes and so on; and the census total of households does not include some potential households that would live separately if they could, or would be attracted to London if they could find accommodation there.