HC Deb 25 February 1988 vol 128 cc277-8W
Mrs. Ray Michie

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to a policy of exempting owners in small island communities from the requirement to sell tied houses; and if he will make a statement.

Table 1

Unemployment claimants: Scotland (not adjusted for seasonal factors)
1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987
January — 188,016 266,290 323,735 352,757 353,641 362,196 371,117 380,446
February — 188,928 268,438 319,671 347,393 351,293 357,173 367,198 372,524
March — 185,268 268,349 311,357 341,502 343,498 351,909 359,318 363,781
April — 186,254 269,857 309,579 337,301 337,429 354,710 356,676 363,456
May — 181,283 266,869 303,140 326,252 331,793 347,908 351,572 346,140
June 166,986 201,874 269,733 302,318 324,058 329,270 345,635 351,359 340,341
July 171,653 214,415 282,495 312,704 330,507 336,667 352,262 358,988 342,845
August 171,239 220,959 290,336 316,423 328,840 336,763 350,026 358,570 336,054
September 163,585 221,598 302,183 327,930 339,992 349,193 355,763 363,037 332,684
October 165,292 227,407 302,362 327,045 333,425 343,110 353,311 359,236 325,462
November 166,673 235,694 303,201 329,097 333,400 343,409 351,463 360,125 321,451
December 167,463 243,317 303,571 333,203 332,715 343,117 353,249 365,217 324,007

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The "right to buy" provisions in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 do not require owners to sell tied houses. The tenants' choice provisions in the current Housing (Scotland) Bill do not apply to houses exempt from the right to buy.