§ Mr. RaisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will approve an application by Aylesbury Vale district council to operate a cash incentive scheme under section 129 of the Housing Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeApproval has today been given for Aylesbury Vale district council to incur expenditure of £100,000 in 1989–90 on cash incentive grants to help the council's tenants to buy homes of their own.
Many councils are coming to realise that cash incentives offer a cost-effective means of releasing council homes for reletting to homeless families and others in acute housing need. Since section 129 of the Housing Act 1988 came into effect on 1 April this year, 38 cash incentive schemes have been approved which will enable the councils concerned to spend up to £12 million on grants to secure 1,100 vacancies for reletting. Further schemes are under consideration. This is an encouraging start. Other councils should consider putting schemes forward for approval.