HC Deb 18 February 1997 vol 290 cc447-8W
Mr. David Howell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has received as part of the consultative process on his Department's Green paper, "Household Growth; Where will we Live," in respect of the imposition of time limits on the period of time for which a developer may retain derelict urban land. [16043]

Mr. Clappison

The consultation period on the Green Paper ends on 17 March. None of the responses received to date has specifically covered this issue.

Mr. Howell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of new households formed between the current date and 2016 will be occupied by people living alone. [16044]

Mr. Clappison

The projected number of households in England at mid-year in 2016 is 23,598,000 a net increase of 3,421,000 on the projected number at mid year 1996. Of this net increase 2,753,000 households or 80 per cent. are projected to be one-person households where a one-person household is defined as someone living alone who does not share either housekeeping or a living room with anyone else.

Mr. Howell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of new housing was built on urban or brown field sites in(a) the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available and (b) the previous 12-month period. [16045]

Sir Paul Beresford

The latest year for which figures are available is 1993. In that year 49 per cent. of new residential development in England was on land that had been previously developed for urban uses. In the previous year the proportion was 47 per cent. These figures were published in the Department's "Land Use Change in England Statistical Bulletin" last year. A new edition of this bulletin, with figures for 1994, will be published in May this year.

Mr. Howell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of cohabiting new households, expressed as a percentage of total new projected households, his Department predicts for the years(a) 2000, (b) 2008 and (c) 2016, respectively. [16330]

Mr. Clappison

The net increases in the number of households headed by a cohabiting couple in England at mid-year 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016 are projected to be 70,000, 122,000, 172,000 and 202,000 higher respectively than those at mid-year 1996, representing 8 per cent., 7 per cent., 7 per cent. and 6 per cent respectively of the net total new households projections on the same basis for these years.