§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are the criteria for housing investment programme allocations for non-urban authorities; and how they were applied for 1991–92 for Waveney district council;
(2) how the general needs index applies to Government grant aid for housing purposes for Waveney district council for 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YeoHousing investment programme—HIP— allocations for 1991–92 for non-metropolitan district authorities, including Waveney, as well as for metropolitan districts and London authorities, were made in part by references to an objective measure of need—the generalised needs index—and in part on the basis of recommendations by my Department's housing regional controllers to reflect their knowledge of local needs and circumstances. Local authorities were able to explain their needs and priorities to the Department in their annual HIP returns and strategy statements and subsequent HIP meetings.
The generalised needs index is not used directly in the distribution of Government grant aid, although both housing revenue account subsidy and specified capital grants, mainly for house renovations, are available to authorities in support of housing investment programme expenditure.