HC Deb 20 December 1988 vol 144 cc187-8W
Mr. Harry Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list showing the extent and locations of foam slag and no fines houses in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Trippier

The Department estimates that some 300,000 system-built poured concrete houses and flats have been built since 1920: and that over two thirds are of no fines constuction. The Building Research Establishment's forthcoming technical guidance, on the number of different no fines types, will include information on numbers and locations. One hundred and ninety-four poured concrete houses using formed slag aggregate have been identified in north-east Derbyshire; a similar material was also used for the precast concrete blocks and wall panels in the 850 Duplex foam slag and 1,622 Glasgow foamed slag houses in Scotland.

Mr. Amos

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline his Department's initiatives since 1979 to improve housing provision in rural areas; and what further initiatives he plans.

Mr. Trippier

[holding answer 16 December 1988]: Since 1979 the Government have taken a number of initiatives to improve housing provision in all parts of the country. These include measures to encourage owner occupation and to stimulate choice and competition in the rented sector.

In addition there have been the following initiatives aimed specifically at rural areas:

1979–88 From June 1984 to March 1988 the Rural Development Commission encouraged housing association schemes in rural areas by providing funds to cover extra costs incurred as a result of their rural location, (the topping up scheme). Funding has been provided through the Housing Corporation and the Rural Development Commission for the national agricultural central rural trust, to help the trust set up and support rural housing associations. The Rural Development Commission sponsors an advance land purchase fund which is administered by the national agricultural centre rural trust to purchase sites on behalf of housing association prior to Housing Corporation funding being made available. The Rural Development Commission has been involved in the provision of 14 craft houses with integral workshops. From 1982 to 1987 the Rural Development Commission ran an experimental scheme to encourage the building of shared equity houses in rural areas.

1988

On 5 July this year the Secretary of State published a statement outlining the Government's policy towards housing in rural areas and our proposals for increasing the supply of low-cost housing in such areas. The statement outlined the roles housing associations, the private sector and local authorities can play in meeting needs for low cost housing.

The proposals included:

An increase in the Rural Development Commission's funding of the national agricultural centre rural trust this year to nearly treble last year's level,

Adoption by the Housing Corporation of more flexible criteria for the selection of housing association schemes in rural areas,

An increase in the number of housing association homes for rent funded by the Housing Corporation in rural areas. The number of new homes approved was due to double to 300 this year and double again over the next two years to reach 600 units by 1990–91.

Following the Secretary of State's announcement on 1 November of a substantial increase in the Housing Corporation's programme over the next three years we announced on 14 December that the corporation has agreed to bring forward to 1989–90 its target of approving 600 new rented homes in the special rural programme. It will also be targeting more of its increased programme of housing for sale to rural areas. A further announcement will be made in due course on targets for later years and on the Housing Corporation's investment in rural areas generally.

Planning and Housing in Rural Areas

Since 1979 we have issued a number of circulars and planning policy guidance notes giving advice to local planning authorities on the provision of an adequate supply of housing land and the need to balance the requirements for development with the continuing need to protect their countryside.

On 5 July this year the Secretary of State published a discussion paper on the planning aspects of housing in rural areas. This included discussion of the possibility of new villages in certain circumstances.