Mr. Robert G. HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government have completed their consultations on the proposed new expenditure limits for grant eligible reinstatement works under the housing defects legislation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YeoI am most grateful to all those who have responded to our consultation proposals; we have, as a result, been able to settle the final figures for each designated house type. Our suggestion that the limits should be revised within a structure of six main cost bands was widely welcomed, as indeed were most of the individual proposals. Some concern was expressed as to whether £32,000 would be sufficient for repairs to Airey and Schindler and Hawksley SGS houses, and we have therefore decided instead to place these types within the £36,000 cost band.
The new limits will therefore be as follows:
New limit house type Present limit £ £20,000 Cornish unit (1 storey PRC) 17,000 Gregory 17,000 Unity and Butterley (1 storey PRC) 17,000 £24,000 Dorran (1 storey PRC) 17,000 Myton (1 storey PRC) 17,000 Newland (1 storey PRC) 17,000 Tarran (1 storey PRC) 17,000 Wessex (1 storey PRC) 17,000 £28,000 Cornish unit (2 storey PRC) 23,000 Stent 23,000 Unity and Butterley (2 storey PRC) 23,000 £32,000 Boswell 27,000 Dorran (2 storey PRC) 27,000 Dyke 27,000 Myton (2 storey PRC) 27,000 Newland (2 storey PRC) 27,000 Stonecrete 27,000 Tarran (2 storey PRC) 27,000 Underdown 27,000 Waller 27,000 Wates 27,000 Winget 27,000 £36,000 Airey 27,000 Schindler and Hawksley SGS 27,000 Smith 27,000 £40,000 Boot Pier and Panel 31,000 Orlit 31,000 Parkinson 31,000 Reema Hollow Panel 31,000 Wessex (2 storey PRC) 31,000 Woolaway 31,000 £14,000 All locally designated types 14,000 These new limits should enable local authorities themselves to decide the appropriate level of grant, in the majority of cases, without further reference to the Department.
445WThe parliamentary order implementing these new limits has now been made by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales and, provided that Parliament is content, will come into operation on Tuesday 31 March. My officials will be writing to local authorities, home owners groups, repairers and the professional bodies, to make sure that all those with an interest are fully aware of all the changes.