§ Miss HoeyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps are taken to make available properties disposed of by his Department to housing associations or local authorities;
130W(2) how many homes have been sold by his Department since the beginning of 1989 and in the last three months; and what criteria are used in deciding to whom the properties will be disposed;
(3) what policy guidelines exist for his Department in dealing with empty properties.
§ Mr. WaddingtonThe Department sold 2,575 prison officers' quarters during the 18-month period 1 January 1989 to 30 June 1990, of which 2,415 were sold to officers under the Department's discount sales scheme and 160 were sold as vacant houses on the open market. During the last three months of that period 223 quarters were sold, of which 194 were sold to officers and 29 were sold on the open market.
Most quarters are sold to officers in occupation under the Department's discount sale scheme. The policy in dealing with vacant quarters is that, unless they are to be retained for essential reallocation, redevelopment or security reasons, they are placed on the open market for sale to the general public at the best price obtainable. No special steps are taken to make such properties available to housing associations or local authorities.
§ Miss HoeyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the money realised from any sales of domestic properties by his Department is treated.
§ Mr. WaddingtonReceipts from the sale of prison officer's quarters are appropriations-in-aid and, as such, are offset against planned expenditure on the prison service. Any receipts in excess of the anticipated level go to the Consolidated Fund.