§ Mr. SoleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many residential properties owned by his Department are(a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentages of stock.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe Department's portfolio is constantly changing as a consequence of properties being acquired or demolished for road schemes, or being disposed of as surplus to requirements.
(a) Currently, the Department owns 2,577 properties, of which 460—17.9 per cent. of total stock—are empty, including those recently acquired, uninhabitable, being sold or awaiting demolition. The remaining 2,117 properties—82.1 per cent. of total stock—are equally divided between direct lettings by the Department and indirect letting on its behalf by housing associations and local authorities.
(b) Currently, 124 properties—4.8 per cent. of total stock—are for sale on the open market.
(c) A figure cannot be provided for the number of properties intended for sale on the open market as it is not known which will be surplus to the requirements of road schemes until an advanced stage when the line of the road is fixed.
(d) Housing associations have an opportunity to buy almost all of the department's surplus housing. A small number of properties are bought back by previous owners under the Crichel Down rules, otherwise property is offered next to the agent housing association. Associations are also free to bid on the open market for other surplus properties not under their management.