§ Mr. Gwilym JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will consult local authorities and other appropriate bodies regarding his proposals for housing revenue account subsidy in Wales in 1992–93.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettThe Welsh Office is today consulting local authorities, the Council of Welsh Districts and other interested bodies on proposals for determining each authority's entitlement to subsidy in 1992–93. Comments on the proposals are invited by 9 December. I am placing copies of the consultation proposals in the Library of the House together with estimates of the rent guidelines and management and maintenance allowances for each authority.
For rent guidelines we propose an average increase of £2.14 per week with increases for individual authorities ranging from £1.13 to £3.40 per week over the guideline rent which applies in the current year. This will continue the process of encouraging sensible levels of rent which better reflect the value of the properties concerned.
For management and maintenance allowances, we propose to increase the average allowance per dwelling from £712 to £766. The increase in the allowances for individual authorities will be based on the targeting system introduced in the current year which takes into account the condition of each local authority's stock.
The rent guidelines and the management and maintenance allowances are the assumptions the Government make in calculating each authority's entitlement to subsidy. It is for each council to set its own rent levels and to decide how much to spend on managing and maintaining its stock within its obligations under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.