HC Deb 18 December 1987 vol 124 cc788-9W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total number of local authority dwellings(a) which were vacant and available for letting, (b) which come into management through new buildings, (c) which come into management through acquisition or following modernisation or conversion and (d) which became available for letting for other reasons (i) in Greater London, (ii) in metropolitan areas outside London, (iii) in non-metropolitan areas in the south-east, (iv) in English non-metropolitan areas and (v) in English local authority areas, for each year from 1 April 1981.

Thousands
1981–821 1982–831 1983–841 1984–851 1985–86 1986–87
(a) Dwellings vacant and available for letting at the beginning of the year2
Greater London 9.0 8.3 7.4 6.7 5.7 5.4
Other metropolitan 13.2 16.4 13.6 12.2 10.8 11.5
Non.metropolitan in the South East3 4.2 4.8 4.8 4.3 5.0 4.6
Non.metropolitan (all) 12.8 14.4 15.2 14.5 14.6 12.9
England 35.0 39.1 36.2 33.4 31.1 29.8
(b) Newly built dwellings coming into management during the year
Greater London 12.1 5.8 4.5 3.1 2.9 1.7
Other metropolitan 9.1 4.4 4.9 5.2 4.1 2.5
Non.metropolitan in the South East3 7.0 5.6 6.9 7.4 6.0 6.1
Non.metropolitan (all) 18.4 16.5 18.3 18.0 14.5 13.6
England 39.6 26.6 27.7 26.7 21.5 17.8
(c) Dwellings coming into management during the year following acquisition, modernisation or conversion
Greater London 4.3 3.5 3.3 3.5 3.5 3.2
Other metropolitan 4.4 3.5 5.2 5.1 4.6 5.2
Non.metropolitan in the South East3 1.0 1.5 1.3 1.5 1.8 1.6
Non-metropolitan (all) 4.0 4.5 5.3 6.5 6.1 6.8
England 12.7 11.5 13.8 15.1 14.3 15.2
(d) Other dwellings becoming available during the year (including dwellings vacated by existing tenants)
Greater London 70.1 64.2 65.1 62.0 60.6 57.1
Other metropolitan 132.6 145.0 140.8 146.0 156.0 156.3
Non-metropolitan in the South East3 54.9 62.2 59.6 60.6 63.1 68.6
Non-metropolitan (all) 181.9 211.1 200.4 204.4 209.1 206.9
England 384.6 420.2 406.3 412.4 425.7 420.3
Notes:
1 Includes information reported by the Greater London Council.
2 As reported in the relets section of the HIP returns.
3 The standard region comprising the non-metropolitan districts in the Department of the Environment administrative Eastern (excluding East Anglia) and South Eastern regions.

Mr. Winnick

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the building of new local authority dwellings for rent.

Mrs. Roe

There should no longer be a presumption that local authorities themselves should take direct action to meet new or increasing demands for housing. The future role of local authorities will essentially be a strategic one identifying housing needs and demands, encouraging innovative methods of provision by other bodies to meet such needs, maximising the use of private finance, and encouraging interest in the revival of the independent rented sector.