§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Winget type houses are still in existence in Great Britain; how many have been privately purchased by tenants since the Housing Defects Act 1984; and how many applications for repurchase under the Act have been made by Winget-type householders to local authorities in Great Britain.
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§ Mrs. RoeFour local authorities in Great Britain have reported 3,836 Winget-type houses, of which 175 were sold to tenants. No information is available on numbers sold since 1984, but these are likely to be small. The authorities have reported 27 applications for assistance under the housing defects legislation, though that figure is not comprehensive. No information is readily available on applications specifically for repurchase on hardship grounds.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made towards a satisfactory method of structural repair for Winget-type houses with the national house building certificate and local authorities in consultation with his Department; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RoeNo repair system for Winget houses has yet been submitted to PRC Homes Ltd. Repairs are not likely to be easy, given the structure of the house and the small numbers sold.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the housing investment programme was allocated to the repurchase of Winget-type houses within England and Wales in the last available financial year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RoeLocal authorities are free to determine their own expenditure priorities within the resources available to them, including their housing investment programme allocations. For 1988–89, £20 million of additional allocations will shortly be distributed to authorities with particular difficulties in meeting their obligations under the housing defects legislation. The allocations will not be made in respect of specific designated house types.