§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any representations requesting permission for an inner-city housing estate to opt out of local authority control.
§ Mr. ChopeThe tenants' choice provisions of the Housing Act 1988 give public sector tenants the opportunity to choose a new landlord. The Housing Corporation has the responsibility under the Act to provide information, advice and assistance to such tenants and to consider applications for tenants' choice landlord approval. Applications are decided by a ballot of the tenants concerned.
One tenants' choice application has been made so far. Many other tenant groups and potential new landlords are in discussion with the Housing Corporation.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has any operational schemes to promote home ownership in the inner cities.
§ Mr. ChopeYes. Sales to sitting tenants under the right to buy remain buoyant; the Housing Corporation has this year allocated 65 per cent. of its programme of new housing association low-cost home ownership projects to designated urban stress areas and local authorities have been given new powers to make grants to help tenants move out into homes of their own. A total of 39 authorities are now operating cash incentive schemes. Subject to proper safeguards, authorities in areas of particular housing pressure will be allowed to offer tenants more generous assistance than now. In 1990–91 the Housing Corporation will introduce a tenants' incentive scheme, enabling housing associations similarly to help their tenants buy homes of their own. Cash incentives are an important new tool by which local authorities and housing associations can secure vacancies for reletting to homeless people while helping existing tenants reach the goal of home ownership.
§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what initiatives his Department has taken since June 1987 to encourage tenants to buy their council homes.
§ Mr. ChopeThe right to buy has been improved, with higher maximum discount, a modified cost floor rule, and a procedure under which tenants can be compensated if the landlord holds up the sale. Houses let by one right-to-buy landlord to another have been brought within 159W the right to buy, and it has been extended to tenants of housing for disabled people outside sheltered schemes. New housing for elderly people, outside sheltered schemes, will shortly be brought within the right to buy. These changes help more tenants to buy their homes.