HC Deb 27 October 1987 vol 121 cc228-9W
Mr. John Marshall

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the housing stock in Scotland is owned by local authorities or governmental agencies; and what information he has about the equivalent proportions in other European countries.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The percentage of housing stock in Scotland owned by local authorities, new towns and the Scottish Special Housing Association at 31 December 1986 was 49.4 per cent. Comparative figures are not readily available for many European countries, partly due to differences between countries in the type of institutions and organisations which finance the provision of rented housing and the allocation of these between the public and private sector. Information available on the breakdown of tenure is shown in the table.

spending, including urban aid, as well as expenditure by the Manpower Services Commission and the unemployed voluntary action fund, on independent public advice services in Scotland for the financial years 1985–86 and 1986–87.

Mr. Lang

Many Government-supported programmes and projects, for example, funded through Manpower Services Commission schemes, contain elements of advice and information but the total amount of Government support for independent public advice services cannot be readily quantified.

Information on public advice services funded through the urban programme and the unemployed voluntary action fund is set out.

Number of Projects £
Urban Programme
1985–86 50 1,431,486
1986–87 56 1,461,625
Unemployed Voluntary Action Fund
1985–86 12 58,580
1986–87 16 116,240