HL Deb 06 October 1986 vol 480 cc117-8WA
Lord Dean of Beswick

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (a) How many applications have been received from the local authorities for exemption from the right-to-buy under paragraph 11 of the Housing Act 118 1985 in the period since modification by Section 2 of the Housing and Building Control Act 1984;
  2. (b) how many have been granted exemption;
  3. (c) how many have been refused exemption;
  4. (d) how many are awaiting decision; and
  5. (e) how many have been withdrawn or are subject to other action.

Lord Skelmersdale

The following statistics relate to applications received by the department between 26th August 1984, when the present rules came into effect, and 31st August this year:

(a) applications received 936
(b) exemptions granted 182
(c) applications refused 326
(d) applications awaiting decisions 194
(e) applications withdrawn by landlords 155
(f) out-of-time applications 72
(g) applications in abeyance (for example, right-to-buy has been denied by the landlord for other reasons) 7

The changes introduced by the Housing and Building Control Act 1984 were not designed to make the paragraph 11 test either easier or more difficult for landlords to meet; but the proportion of decided applications which result in exemptions has during this period been almost 36 per cent., which is more than treble the rate of 11 per cent. for pre–1984 Act applications.