HC Deb 30 November 1993 vol 233 c495W
Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have applied for Exchequer subsidies to help with costs associated with the option of reduction, clearance and closure of properties whose house prices are so low as to make renovation uneconomic; and how much these subsidies have been.

Sir George Young

When a property is found to be unfit, a local authority must determine the action necessary to deal with it. Its options include renovation, clearance and closure. The cost of renovation is one of the issues the authority should consider. Exchequer subsidy is available at 60 per cent. of the cost to the authority of the action determined on. In 1992–93 £18,466,309 was paid to 122 authorities in respect of clearance activity.