§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the level of provision of wheelchair and mobility housing over the last 10 years.
§ Sir George YoungThe figures for housing association and local authority wheelchair and mobility dwellings are shown in the table. Since October 1987, housing associations have been required to construct all new-build housing and rehabilitation schemes to mobility standards, wherever practicable. In addition, disabled people may obtain assistance for house adaptations under the new house renovation grants system introduced in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and this should help to increase the amount of housing suitable for people with disabilities. Local authorities' spending on home improvement grants for works to disabled persons' dwellings in England, increased from £2.547 million in 1980–81 to £51.549 million in 1988–89.
hon. Friend proposes to revise "Guidelines for the Provision of Aggregates in England and Wales", MPG6. The survey will be published in the new year, together with a forecast of the future demand for primary aggregates. The implications of this will be discussed by the regional aggregates working parties during 1991. In particular they will consider the relevance of the forecast for the region, the land use planning implications and how future demand might be met.
Before publishing a revision of the present "Guidelines for the Provision of Aggregates in England and Wales", MPG6, my right hon. Friend will consider the views of the regional aggregates working parties, together with any other views which may be expressed. It is not intended to undertake a wider range of formal consultations until a draft of the revised guidelines is available, but my right hon. Friend will make available the information given to the regional aggregates working parties and will consider 463W any views that may be expressed about the future demand for aggregates before publishing the draft revised guidelines for full public consultation towards the end of 1991.
In considering future guidelines for aggregates provision, it will be important to consider a range of options. This will include the likely demand for aggregates and the extent to which use may be made of secondary materials such as colliery minestone and china clay sand as well as waste and recycled materials including power station ash, blast furnace slag and crushed concrete. Also to be taken into account will be the potential offered by marine sand and gravel and imports from outside England and Wales. My Department already has a number of research projects in hand to examine these options and the results will be important in the preparation of new guidelines.
It remains important that the minerals planning authorities should continue to implement the advice given in MPG6 which remains the current guidance on aggregates provision.