§ Mr. Grahamasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is proposed for the future of the Scottish Special Housing Association housing in Renfrew, West and Inverclyde constituency.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonInsofar as the proposals contained in the consultative document "Scottish Homes: A New Agency for Housing in Scotland" concern Scottish Special Housing Association housing, they include such houses in the hon. Member's constituency.
§ Mr. Grahamasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the purpose of the public meetings organised by the Scottish Special Housing Association for its tenants; and what say the tenants will have on the future of their houses when the consultation is completed.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonI understand that the association has arranged some meetings with tenants in270W response to their inquiries about the proposals in the consultative document "Scottish Homes: A New Agency for Housing in Scotland". The association is holding a conference on this subject for representatives of tenants' associations on 15 August. The chairman of the association wrote on 14 July to all tenants and said that the association would receive and let the Government know about views expressed by tenants. My right hon. and learned Friend will, of course, take full account of all comments submitted to him.
§ Mr. Grahamasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Scottish Special Housing Association will be meeting the Renfrew district council and the Inverclyde district council to discuss what will happen to the Association's local agreement in relation to housing local people.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonIt is for the bodies themselves to determine whether they hold any meetings. The association's agreement with these and other district councils about the allocation of the association's houses will be taken into account in our consideration of the proposals for "Scottish Homes".
§ Mr. Grahamasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Scottish Special Housing Association will be informing hon. Members with Scottish Special Housing Association houses in their constituencies about the consultations that are taking place with local groups about the proposals entitled "Scottish Homes".
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThis is a matter for the Scottish Special Housing Association to decide.
§ Mr. Grahamasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if the tenants of the Scottish Special Housing Association will be balloted on whether they want their district council to take them over; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if the tenants of the Scottish Special Housing Association will be asked whether they want their local district councils to take over and run their houses as district council houses; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonNo. Our proposals for the future of Scottish Special Housing Association houses are contained in the consultative document "Scottish Homes: A New Agency for Housing in Scotland" and we shall take full account of comments made by association tenants on these proposals.
§ Mr. Grahamasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the local hon. Members and district councillors who have Scottish Special Housing Association houses in their areas will be consulted about the proposals to abolish the Scottish Special Housing Association.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonCopies of the consulta-tion document "Scottish Homes: A New Agency for 271W Housing in Scotland" were placed in the Library and sent to all district councils on 7 May. It is for hon. Members and district councillors to decide whether they wish to comment on the proposals which include the replacement of the association by the new agency.
§ Mr. Grahamasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish Special Housing Association houses there are in the Renfrew, West and Inverclyde constituency.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThis information is not held centrally. At 30 September 1986, there were 7,429 and 3,288 SSHA dwellings in Renfrew and Inverclyde district council areas respectively.
§ Mr. Grahamasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what has been the level of rent rises in Scottish Special Housing Association houses in each year since 1979;
(2) what information he has about the average rent of a four-apartment, three-apartment and five-apartment terraced house and flat, respectively, owned by the Scottish Special Housing Association in the Renfrew, West and Inverclyde constituency; and what is the average rent in Scotland as a whole for Scottish Special Housing Association houses;
(3) what information he has about the average rents of Renfrew district council's five, four and three apartment terraced houses and flats, respectively; and what are the figures for Inverclyde district council.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonSeparate information on average rents for terraced houses and for flats is not collected centrally. Average annual rents for local authority and SSHA dwellings by apartment size at 30 September 1986 and rent increases nationally are detailed in Scottish Development Department statistical bulletin HSIU No. 29: "Public Sector Rents 1986–87," a copy of which has recently been sent to all hon. Members with Scottish constituencies.