§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what actions his Department will take to ensure that renovations carried 405W out by the release of capital receipts as proposed in the Local Government Finance (Supplementary Credit Approvals) Bill take into account the access needs of disabled people.[10859]
§ Mr. RaynsfordIt will be for individual local authorities to determine their local needs and priorities when they apply resources released under the capital receipts initiative. When an authority decides to use resources to support new provision by registered social landlords, that development must meet the Housing Corporation's scheme development standards. These set out minimum requirements for new developments: all passenger lifts must be accessible to those in wheelchairs; new developments for the elderly must take account of their increasing accessibility needs; and properties built for wheelchair users must conform to standards agreed with the National Wheelchair Housing Association Group.