§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Prime Minister, further to her oral reply to the hon. Member for Basildon (Mr. Amess) on 12 July, if she will give details of the success of the Scottish and Welsh experiments with rent-to-mortgage schemes; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterThe trial rent-to-mortgage and flexi-ownership schemes in Scotland and Wales are making encouraging progress. The Scottish Homes rent-to-mortgage scheme, from its introduction in October 1989 until the end of June this year, has attracted more than 1,000 inquiries from eligible tenants, with 169 applications in process. Since its introduction in December 1989, the Welsh flexi-ownership scheme has attracted over 100 inquiries from the 800 tenants eligible to participate in the scheme with some 50 applications in process. The schemes are being monitored and any modifications which seem desirable will be introduced whenever appropriate. The evidence so far is that both schemes are enabling tenants who would not otherwise become owner-occupiers to do so.