HC Deb 15 July 1993 vol 228 cc588-90W
Ms Glenda Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the Government's objectives in reducing housing association grant; and if he will make a statement.

Sir George Young

The Government's objective in reducing average housing association grant rates is to maximise the proportion of private finance in new housing association schemes, and thereby maximise the number of new homes that housing associations are able to provide from the available public resources. This will ensure that more people now living in unacceptable conditions can be housed satisfactorily.

Ms Glenda Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals to set up a housing association ombudsman.

Sir George Young

The Housing Corporation circulated proposals in a consultation document earlier this year and have received a range of comments and suggestions. The Environment Select Committee has also recently reported its views on this subject. These comments are currently being considered and I hope that a revised set of proposals will be issued shortly, dealing both with the establishment of an ombudsman service for housing association tenants and with improved arrangements for the handling of tenants' complaints by associations themselves.

Ms Glenda Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of housing association tenants were in receipt of housing benefit in each year since 1988.

Sir George Young

Reliable information is not available for all housing association tenants covering the period 1988–1992.

The information set out in the table covers permanent lettings by housing associations in the years 1990–1992, and shows the proportion of households assessed by housing officers as qualifying for housing benefit in each year.

Proportion of households qualifying for housing benefit: Housing Association lettings, England.
Per cent.
1990 55
1991 62
1992 67

SourceNational Federation of Housing Associations, CORE data base.

Ms Glenda Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the average income levels of housing association tenants in each year since 1988.

Sir George Young

Reliable information is not available for all housing association tenants covering the period 1988–1992.

The information set out in the table covers permanent lettings by housing associations in the years 1990–1992, and shows the average net weekly household income of new tenants who took up a housing association tenancy and of existing tenants who moved within a housing association.

Average net weekly household income1: Housing association lettings, England.
£/week
1990 92.00
1991 94.00
1992 97.50
1 Includes child benefit but not housing benefit or council tax benefit (or equivalent).

SourceNational Federation of Housing Associations, CORE data base.

Ms Glenda Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to respond to the recommendations regarding housing association grant made by the Environment Select Committee in its second report of Session 1992–93 (HC466) on the Housing Corporation; and what account will be taken of those recommendations in relevant decisions taken by his Department before publication of his response to the Select Committee report.

Sir George Young

We are examining the recommendations of the Environment Select Committee report on the Housing Corporation and will make a formal response when the House reassembles after the summer recess. However, where operational decisions are needed sooner, we may provide an interim response on particular issues.

In taking decisions about the level of housing association grant in 1994–95, Ministers will consider all available evidence, including the Select Committee's recommendations.