§ Mr. LeightonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new subsidised houses for rent housing associations have built in each year since 1970; and how many they plan to build in the next five years.
§ Mr. ChopeNumbers of housebuilding completions for rent and of renovations for rent by housing associations in England are as follows:
Completions1 Renovations2 1970 8,200 2,700 1971 10,200 5,000 1972 6,900 4,200 1973 8,300 3,200 1974 9,300 4,000 1975 13,700 4,600 1976 14,400 13,400 1977 24,200 18,800 1978 20,600 13,100 1979 16,300 17,200 1980 19,300 14,700 1981 16,800 11,200 1982 11,100 17,400 1983 14,200 14,500 1984 13,700 18,500 1985 11,200 11,400 1986 10,000 12,700 1987 9,600 11,100 1988 9,100 11,500 19893 8,700 49,500 P = provisional
1 Before 1980 completions data includes built for sale 442W (co-ownership).
2 Before 1978 refers to work approved, thereafter to work completed. Before 1985 includes hostel bedspaces (some 2,000 1984). From 1981 includes improvement for sale (11,800 sales up to 30 September 1989).
3 Provisional.
4 January to September.
The Department does not make forecasts of housebuilding completions; the Housing Corporation publishes details of its approved development programme for registered housing associations—a copy is in the Library—and these reflect the substantial increase in resources for housing associations in the current public expenditure plans.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the transfer of local government housing departments to housing associations.
§ Mr. ChopeOur criteria are set out in the guidelines, "Large Scale Voluntary Transfers of Local Authority Housing to Private Bodies", a copy of which is in the Library.