HC Deb 17 February 1988 vol 127 c662W
29. Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing improvement schemes involving Estate Action have been approved so far in the present financial year.

Mr. Waldegrave

With the schemes I have announced today, 112 new Estate Action schemes will have been approved in the current financial year. Substantial financial support has also been given to some 70 schemes which were started last year.

62. Mr. George Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the potential for using Housing Corporation funds to support developments complementary to Estate Action programmes.

Mrs. Roe

There is considerable potential for housing associations to contribute to Estate Action programmes and this will be expanded by the provisions in the Housing Bill extending the power of registered associations to help with the regeneration of rundown areas and in providing services to other bodies such as tenants' groups. Decisions on whether to fund any particular association or project remain of course a matter for the Housing Corporation, but I am confident that its consultations with local authorities and associations will have alerted it to opportunities for funding association developments which will complement Estate Action programmes.