HC Deb 27 October 1988 vol 139 cc389-90W
Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further proposals he has for bringing into use privately owned empty properties; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Trippier

Private property is left empty for a number of reasons, of which reluctance to let under Rent Act controls is one. Our proposals for the deregulation of new private lettings in the Housing Bill will enable owners to let at market rents, and to have certainty of possession at the end of a short fixed term letting if they use shorthold. This should encourage owners of empty private houses and flats to make their property available for letting.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been empty for six months or more during the last five years in the Basildon area; and what were the figures for each year since 1983.

Mr. Trippier

The number of council dwellings vacant for more than six months has been provided by local authorities, since 1987, on their annual housing investment programme returns. Basildon district council has reported 19 such dwellings at 1 April 1987 and 3 at 1 April 1988.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what current estimates he has for the numbers of publicly-owned empty properties in(a) the Basildon area and (b) England and Wales; and what were the figures for the last five years.

Mr. Trippier

The information derived from the annual housing investment programme returns from local authorities is as follows:

Vacant dwellings owned by local authorities and other public sector bodies at 1 April
Local authority1 other public2
Basildon England Basildon England
1983 146 113,600 361 23,000
1984 130 112,700 349 21,800
1985 86 116,500 359 19,100
1986 77 113,300 294 18,500
1987 66 112,400 169 15,500
1988 221 3103,000 182 316,000
1 Includes dwellings which are closed or have been acquired for demolition and, since 1987, dwellings on overspill estates.
2 Includes housing owned by new towns, county councils (for example, police houses), Government departments and nationalised industries and other public bodies. Many of these dwellings are vacant because of operational requirements, notably those owned by the Ministry of Defence, and others have been acquired for demolition, for example by the Department of Transport. Government are encouraging the sale of housing which is not required and many of those that are vacant are in the process of disposal.
3 Provisional estimate.

For information about Wales I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.