§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement indicating the Government schemes and other measures available to Waveney district council to increase and improve the housing stock in Waveney.
§ Mr. YeoGovernment schemes and other measures available to Waveney district council to increase and improve housing stock in its district include the use of basic credit approval, specified capital grant and capital receipts as specified together with housing revenue to maintain and improve the council housing stock, assist housing associations and provide grants to improve private homes. There is also scope to obtain supplementary credit approval under the initiatives for rural housing and flats over shops. The council may promote a scheme to provide council tenants with "portable discounts" to help buy their own homes and they can operate both shared ownership and "do-it-yourself" shared ownership schemes. By providing council-owned land free, or at reduced price, to housing associations, the council can encourage the inflow of Housing Corporation funds for the provision of more social housing, which can also be promoted by negotiation with private developers seeking to build in the district.