HC Deb 14 November 1988 vol 140 cc503-5W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make supplementary capital allowances available to bring up to standard BISF-style homes in Bilborough, Nottingham.

Mr. Trippier

If Nottingham city council has proposals to aid owners of BISF houses through home improvement grants, it will no doubt wish to bring these forward at its discussions with the Department's regional office later this month, on the 1989–90 HIP allocation.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has written to those building societies which are currently refusing to lend on BISF homes in Bilborough, Nottingham; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Trippier

We have taken this matter up with the Building Societies Association, which has been in touch with the societies concerned; and we hope to enter into further discussions very shortly.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if, pursuant to his statement on 27 June,Official Report, columns 162–63, he will meet the hon. Member for Nottingham, North and a delegation of BISF home owners from Bilborough, Nottingham, to discuss the designation of their properties under section 28 of the Housing Act 1985;

(2) if, pursuant to the answer of 27 October, Official Report, column 406, he will make it his policy to write to Nottingham city council and to the Bilborough BISF group to seek their views on the housing defects legislation.

Mr. Trippier

I have writen to the hon. Member proposing a meeting to discus the morgageability of BISF houses in Nottingham. This could provide an opportunity for home owners and the city council to put forward their views, although I have to say that we do not consider this to be a case where use of the housing defects legislation would be appropriate.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will consider additional assistance to Nottingham city council to relocate those elderly people who wish to move from three-bedroom council homes to smaller housing;

(2) if he will publish in the Official Report the housing investment programme bids and the allocations for Nottingham for each year since 1979–80 in constant terms; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Trippier

I shall write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give figures showing the average discount on sales of Nottingham city council properties and the England and Wales average for each year since 1980.

Mr. Trippier

Figures for English local authorities and for Nottingham city council are given below. For Welsh figures I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State for Wales.

Average Discounts
Nottingham England
£ thousands Percentage of market price £ thousands Percentage of market price market price
1980–81 4.4 1 6.1 39
1981–82 5.9 45 7.1 42
1982–83 5.9 44 7.2 42
1983–84 6.1 43 27.9 42
1984–85 7.1 45 9.5 44
1985–86 7.8 48 11.0 46
1986–87 8.6 53 12.4 46
1987–88 1 1 214.5 48

Notes:

1 Indicates figures are not available.

2 Indicates averages exclude block sales of dwellings in these years.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from local authorities regarding demands for rent arrears arising from changes in housing benefit levels; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Trippier

My right hon. Friend has recieved no such representations directly. The subject has, however, been raised by several Members and with my officials in various discussions with local authority officers. I have nothing to add to what I told the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 25 October.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average price of a house in Nottingham available for each of the years since 1979.

Mr. Trippier

I shall write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much housing benefit has been paid in Nottingham in the months since April; and what was the figure for the comparable period in 1987.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

I have been asked to reply.

I regret that this information is not available centrally.

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