§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many grants for house improvement grants were awarded in the five Merseyside boroughs last year; how many applications are outstanding:, what representations his Department has received about targeting resources for house improvements and the redesignation of districts as housing action areas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungFigures showing the number of house renovation grants paid in the Knowsley, Liverpool, St. Helens, Sefton and Wirral local authority areas in 1992 and for the first half of 1993 under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and under the Housing Act 1985 are in the quarterly publication "Local Housing Statistics", issues No. 107, tables 3(a) and 3(b). Figures for the first half of 1993 are provisional. A copy of the publication is in the Library.
The Department does not collect data on the number of house renovation grant applications outstanding.
Over 400 written responses were received following the issue of the consultation paper on the future of private housing renewal programmes on 21 June 1993. I announced short-term changes arising from that consultation on 3 November and I refer the hon. Member to the Official Report, column 206.