Leeds Housing Action Trust (Hansard, 18 July 1988)

§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what form the Leeds city council was consulted at any stage leading up to the announcement of the Leeds housing action trust.

§ Mrs. Roe
Leeds city council, like all local authorities in England, was sent a copy of the Department's consultation document on housing action trusts published in October 1987. The council responded on 30 October 1987 and a copy of its response was placed in the Library.
Following the announcement about housing action trusts on 11 July, my right hon. Friend wrote to the leader of the Leeds city council the same day inviting the council and representatives of tenant groups to a meeting to discuss his proposals for a housing action trust in Leeds.

§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the criteria for choosing the particular 7,123 houses comprising the proposed Leeds housing action trust.

§ Mrs. Roe
In choosing the areas which might be covered by housing action trusts, my right hon. Friend has taken account of the matters listed in clause 60(5) of the Housing Bill.

§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last paid an official visit to Leeds, in particular South Seacroft, Gipton and Halton Moor areas.

§ Mrs. Roe
My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning saw each of these areas when he made an official visit to Leeds last September.

§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has of the wishes of the tenants of the Gipton, Seacroft and Halton Moor estates proposed for a housing action trust; and what steps he has taken to consult the tenants directly.

§ Mrs. Roe
My right hon. Friend wrote to the leader of the Leeds city council on 11 July inviting the councils and representatives of tenant groups to a meeting to discuss his proposals for a housing action trust in Leeds. In addition, he has written to all residents in the Halton Moor, Seacroft South and Gipton estates who might be affected by the established of a housing action trust.
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§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has done an analysis of the voids and rent arrears in the estates of Gipton, Halton and South Seacroft, Leeds; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mrs. Roe
The Department receives a copy of Leeds city council's quarterly review of statistics about housing estates in Leeds, including information about voids and rent arrears.

§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information was available to him about the renovation programmes that have recently taken place to the housing stock in Gipton, South Seacroft and Halton estates in Leeds before he made his announcement of 11 July on the designation of housing action trusts.

§ Mrs. Roe
The council provides information about its renovation programme for these and other estates as part of its housing investment programme submission to the Department. Additional information has also been made available in support of bids for additional allocations under the estate action programme.

§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he had before 11 July about the progress of the priority estates programme scheme initiated in conjunction with his Department in the area now designated as a housing action trust.

§ Mrs. Roe
There is no departmental priority estate project in the area now proposed as a housing action trust. Leeds city council, however, has itself designated certain areas, including one at South Seacroft, as priority estates. Information about progress at South Seacroft was included in the council's 1987 housing investment programme strategy statement. In addition, the Department has information on progress on estate action projects at South Girton and Halton Moor.

§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of(a) the recent housing investment programme resources in the area comprising the Leeds housing action trust and (b) his Department's estimates of the amount needed to bring the housing stock in the Leeds housing action trust up to current day housing standards.

§ Mrs. Roe
It is for Leeds city council to determine how much of its housing investment programme resources should be allocated to individual estates and programmes. Through estate action we have provided additional housing investment and urban programme resources totalling £2.1 million since 1986–87 in the area which might be covered by a housing action trust.
Decisions on the precise areas which might be designated will be taken in the light of consultants' studies and of local views. It will be for the housing action trust, if established, to consider its proposals for the area, in consultation with the local authority and local people.

§ Mr. Battle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish figures for the tenancy turnover in Gipton, South Seacroft and Halton Moor council estates, Leeds.

§ Mrs. Roe
Leeds city council publishes a quarterly review of statistics which contains information about lettings on its individual estates.