§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the future of the housing stock of the Development Board for Rural Wales.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettI shall be consulting shortly upon draft regulations to govern the disposal of Development Board for Rural Wales housing stock.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Development Board for Rural Wales houses there are; and in what towns and villages they are situated.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettThe Development Board currently owns 1,259 dwellings located as follows:
Location Newtown 1,186 Llandrindod Wells 20 Tywyn 26 Bala 10 Dolgellau 7 Abercrave, Ystradgynlais 10
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Development Board for Rural Wales houses have been sold in each of the past 10 years; and what was the total income from house sales in each of the past 10 years.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettThe information requested is given in the following table:
Number of dwellings Income (£000s)1 1981 12 144 1982 20 230 1983 27 352 1984 9 111 1985 11 130 1986 21 250 1987 35 491 1988 47 710 1989 58 1,075 1990 69 1,339 Source: Development Board for Rural Wales sales returns. 1 Income figures are totals of the selling prices of disposed dwellings and as such no account is taken of mortgages granted by the Board on any of these dwellings: 6 such mortgages were granted over the period. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman, like me, welcomes the extension of home ownership that these sales represent.
262W
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Development Board for Rural Wales houses have been involved in the rents to mortgages scheme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettThe Board has received 105 formal applications and has completed sales of 23 dwellings. This represents almost 3 per cent. of the board's eligible stock and is as successful as the initial take-up under our right to buy policy.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will consult the tenants of Development Board for Rural Wales houses before he permits a change of status of such houses.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettThe draft regulations will include provision for tenants to express their wishes.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales which Development Board for Rural Wales housing stock is earmarked for housing association status.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettIt will be for the board to formulate its proposals in the light of regulations to be made in due course. I shall in no way prejudge my response to such proposals.