Empty Properties (Hansard, 27 October 1988)

§ 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 Rent390W 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.

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.