§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce initiatives or schemes designed to pass local authority housing stock to private sector interests; how many members of his Department are engaged in preparing policy papers on this matter; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungMy Department already has a programme of large-scale voluntary transfers of council 101W housing to housing associations. To date, 31 local authorities have transferred 142,000 properties through LSVT. Subject to tenant support, 12 more will transfer about 50,000 properties by the end of 1994–95. I am keen to expand the programme to bring to metropolitan and inner-city areas the benefits of transfer which we have seen in shire districts. The Department is jointly funding a study with five local authorities—Camden, Enfield, Sheffield, Manchester and Middlesbrough—and the Housing Corporation, which aims to identify options for the future ownership and management of housing in urban areas. This is due to report in the autumn. A group of four staff work predominantly on LSVTs, and a wide range of others are involved where appropriate.