§ Mr. SoleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of properties owned by his Department and suitable for residential accommodation have been empty for (i) up to a year and (ii) over a year; and where these properties are located, by region of the United Kingdom or local authority area.
§ Mr. RidleyAs at 1 April 1989, 3.2 per cent. of the 433 residential properties owned by the Department of the Environment had been empty for less than a year and 5.5 per cent. for more than a year. Of these 34 per cent. are in the process of disposal on the open market. These properties are located in the following regions of the United Kingdom and local authority areas:
- Scotland: Argyll, City of Glasgow, Midlothian, Inverclyde, Motherwell, Banff Buchan.
- North East: Hambleton, Langbaurgh.
- North West: Manchester.
- Eastern: Brentwood, Suffolk Coastal.
- London: Westminster.
- South West: Cotswold, Isles of Scilly, Sedgemoor.
- South East: Medina.