HC Deb 19 May 1998 vol 312 cc337-8W
Mr. David Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many multi-storey blocks of flats above 10 floors high there are in the City of Glasgow; what is the total number of housing units in these blocks; what percentage of the council's housing stock this represents; and how many flats in multi-storey blocks have been sold. [42855]

Mr. Macdonald

At 31 March 1997, the latest date for which information is available, Glasgow city council owned 105,035 dwellings of which 23,129 (22 per cent.) were classified as high rise flats (flats in blocks of five storeys or more with a lift). Information on the numbers of these flats which have been sold is not available centrally.

Mr. David Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with Scottish Homes regarding the condition and future of the multi-storey flats in Hutchesontown, Glasgow; and if he will make a statement. [42865]

Mr. Macdonald

While it is the Scottish Homes to make decisions on operational matters relating to its own stock, I have been kept closely informed of its intentions regarding the future of the houses concerned. I understand that recent proposals to transfer the houses to an alternative landlord cannot be progressed because funding from the private sector is not available. In line with the new arrangements introduced by COSLA and Scottish Homes in December 1997, Scottish Homes will now consider the options for the future of the houses in consultation with the local authority and the tenants concerned.

Mr. David Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses below the tolerable standard there are in each constituency in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [42866]

Mr. Macdonald

The 1996 Scottish house condition survey estimated that there were 21,000 below tolerable standard (BTS) occupied houses in Scotland. This information is not available by constituency.

Local authorities supply annual estimates to The Scottish Office for the numbers of BTS dwellings in their areas. These figures, which are only available by local authority area, are published in Scottish Office statistical bulletins, copies of which are held in the Library. The latest such bulletin (HSG/1997/1) was published in February 1997.