§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of households with negative equity for the third quarter of 1993; and what this figure represents as a proportion of total owner occupied households.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 14 January 1994]: We do not hold this information. However, recent studies have shown that the problem of negative equity is less pronounced in Scotland than in other regions of the United Kingdom, affecting only an estimated 1 per cent. of recent homebuyers. It is open to anyone in that position to discuss their situation with their mortgage lender.