HC Deb 20 October 1992 vol 212 cc242-3W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what actions Her Majesty's Government have taken to reduce the incidence of housing associations leaving homes unjustifiably empty for long periods.

Mr. Baldry

There has been a steady decrease over the past five years in the incidence of empty property owned by housing associations. The supervision of the management of associations is the statutory responsibility of the Housing Corporation and I will ask the corporation to write to the hon. Member with further information.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals Her Majesty's Government have to ensure secure tenancies for all housing association tenants.

Mr. Baldry

The majority of the tenants of housing associations are secure tenants. For those taking up a tenancy since 1989, the status is normally that of assured tenants. These assured tenants of housing associations have rights conferred by statute and additional contractual rights by virtue of the Housing Corporation's "Tenants' Guarantee", which give them security of tenure broadly similar to that enjoyed by secure tenants. There are no plans to change this framework.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the ways in which tenants are represented on housing association boards of management.

Mr. Baldry

The supervision of the management of registered housing associations is the statutory responsibility of the Housing Corporation, which has an active strategy for increasing the participation of tenants in the management of their associations. I will ask the Housing Corporation to write to the hon. Member with further information.