§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the total output of rented homes by housing associations and local authorities in the current year; what was the figure for 1978–79; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesHousing associations are now the main providers of new social housing. Local authorities primary housing tasks are now the efficient management of their own stock of housing and enabling other organisations to provide new housing. In England during 1978–79 local authorities completed 76,500 dwellings and new towns completed a further 8,000 new dwellings; during 1993–94 local authorities completed 1,400 new dwellings and by 1994–95 we expect this may have fallen to less than 1,000.
Housing associations provide additional rented homes through new build and through rehabilitation. In England during 1978–79 they provided some 33,600 new rented homes in this way. We currently forecast that in 1994–95 housing associations will provide 41,800 new rented homes through the Housing Corporation's approved development programme. We also estimate that local authority supported housing association activity will provide in the region of 10,000 new homes in 1994–95.
In addition, the cash incentive scheme for local authority tenants; the tenants incentive scheme, for housing association tenants; and the 60 per cent of do-it-yourself shared ownership help social sector tenants to become owner-occupiers and so free up existing properties for re-letting to new tenants. These schemes were not in existence in 1978–79. We currently estimate that in 1994–95 some 13,000 new housing association and local authority lettings will be provided in this way.