HC Deb 24 March 1993 vol 221 cc625-6W
21. Mr. Barron

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made as to the likely effect on the building of houses by housing associations of the reduction of housing association grants.

Sir George Young

Increasing the private finance input into housing association schemes enables us to produce significantly greater numbers of new homes with the available public resources. The reduction in the average housing association grant rate for rented schemes from 72 per cent. in 1992–93 to 67 per cent. in 1993–94 was achieved through lower costs without any significant impact on the affordability of rents implied. Associations put forward more than four and a half times the number of schemes that could be supported by the resources available for next year. This clearly demonstrates their confidence in being able successfully to undertake schemes at the grant rates available, and to achieve the higher output that we have sought.

22. Mr. Bryan Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effect of the percentage of housing association grants in 1995 on the level of housing association rents.

23. Mr. Hutton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about housing association grant rates.

Sir George Young

The Government have not yet taken any decision on grant rates for housing association development beyond those for 1993–94, but have made clear their objective to increase the proportion of private finance in new housing association schemes. Final decisions will be taken on grant rates for 1994–95 and beyond when we have assessed the likely impact on rents and on associations' ability to raise private finance. This work is currently being undertaken. Ministers receive representations throughout the year on rates of housing association grant from many organisations, including the National Federation of Housing Associations, individual housing associations and other national and local bodies.

25. Mr. Colin Shepherd

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homes have been bought by housing associations as part of the special scheme announced in the autumn statement.

32. Lady Olga Maitland

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many extra houses have been bought by housing associations since the autumn statement.

Sir George Young

By 12 March 12,611 purchases had been completed. We expect this total to rise to almost 18,000 by the end of the month.

35. Dr. Liam Fox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he expects the Government's target of 153,000 housing association homes over the years 1992–93 to 1994–95 to be reached.

Mr. Baldry

We expect our target to be exceeded comfortably, due to the additional funds made available this year in the autumn statement, the highly competitive prices currently being achieved by housing associations and the increased contribution from private finance which enables us to provide more units for a given amount of public funding.