HL Deb 11 February 1999 vol 597 cc51-4WA
Lord Selkirk of Douglas

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Sewel on 2 February relating to housing, what percentage figure of the total number of public sector houses sold in Scotland since 1970 423, 860 represents; and [HL909]

When the Scottish Office will have an estimate of home ownership as a percentage of all housing in Scotland at 31 December 1998; and [HL910]

What percentage of the total housing stock of Scotland the figure of 117, 937 housing association dwellings represents; and [HL911]

Whether they will publish a graph showing the trend of public sector sales in Scotland of—

  1. (a)all public sector housing; and
  2. (b)tenant public sector housing;
in comparison to England from 1979 to date; and [HL912]

What is the total number of rents to mortgage sales in Scotland; and [HL91.3]

  1. What is the number of —
  2. (a) public sector houses; and
  3. (b) private sector houses;
in Scotland built from 1979 to date. [HL914]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office (Lord Sewel)

The figure of 423, 860 represents the total number of public sector house sales in Scotland between January 1973 and March 1998, as reported to the Scottish Office by local authorities, New Town Development Corporations, the former Scottish Special Housing Association and Scottish Homes. This should, therefore, represent 100 per cent. of all public sector sales in this period. As stated in my Answer of 2 February (House of Lords Hansard, col. WA 192), information prior to 1973 is not held centrally. It is not possible therefore to calculate what percentage of all sales since 1970 the figure of 423, 860 represents.

Provisional estimates of dwelling stock by tenure as at 31 December 1998 are expected to be available by the end of October 1999.

The figure of 117.937 represents the total number of housing association dwellings at 31 March 1998. There is no estimate of the total dwelling stock at 31 March 1998. However, The Scottish Office Statistical Bulletin (Housing Series HSG/1998–7) contains an estimate of dwelling stock by tenure at 31 December 1997. An estimated 5.1 per cent. of the Scottish housing stock at this time was owned by housing associations.

The information requested on public sector sales since 1979 in Scotland and in England is shown in the following table, and illustrated in the chart below:

Sales of public authority dwellings in Scotland: 1979 to 1997
Year All sales in Scotland Sales to sitting tenants in Scotland1 All sales in England Sales to sitting tenants in England2
1979 1, 403 1, 010 41, 313
1980 6, 314 5, 913 83, 559
1981 10, 995 10, 545 97, 699 91, 439
1982 15, 264 14, 235 190, 923 185, 027
1983 18, 269 17, 877 136, 933 128, 102
1984 17, 616 16, 519 101, 624 95, 335
1985 15, 601 14, 925 94, 511 84, 210
1986 14, 258 13, 992 85, 591 81, 279
1987 20, 119 18, 988 102, 458 93, 417
1988 32, 305 31, 591 150, 478 139, 677
1989 39, 275 38, 943 174, 370 149, 130
1990 33, 673 32, 968 139, 176 96, 572
1991 24, 735 23, 007 76, 404 52, 860
1992 30, 956 24, 032 71, 218 42, 288
1993 23, 497 20, 062 71, 681 42, 607
1994 29, 480 21, 290 90, 750 46, 163
1995 27, 634 16, 965 81, 149 34, 094
1996 19, 465 13, 120 64, 248 31, 797
1997 28, 571 16, 515 63, 798 39, 292
1Includes Right to Buy, Voluntary sales and Rent to Mortgage.
2Includes Right to Buy and Voluntary Sales.
Source of English figures Housing and Construction Statistics 1979 to 1989 and 1987 to 1997.

1Includes Right to Buy, Voluntary sales and Rent to Mortgage.

2Includes Right to Buy and Voluntary Sales.

Source of English figures Housing and Construction Statistics 1979 to 1989 and 1987 to 1997.

Up to 31 March 1998, there have been 1, 111 rent to mortgage sales made known to the Scottish Office by public authorities and housing associations.

The numbers of public and private sector houses which have been built in Scotland in each year since 1979 are given in the table below:

New Dwellings Completed in Scotland: 1979 to 1997
Year Total Private Sector Housing Associations Public Authorities
1979 23, 782 15, 175 544 8, 063
1980 20, 611 141, 021 1, 928 7, 062
1981 20, 011 11, 021 1, 928 7, 062

New Dwellings Completed in Scotland: 1979 to 1997
Year Total Private Sector Housing Associations Public Authorities
1982 16, 423 11, 523 1, 167 3, 733
1983 17, 929 13, 166 1, 271 3, 492
1984 18, 838 14, 115 2, 076 2, 647
1985 18, 411 14, 435 1, 148 2, 828
1986 18, 637 14, 870 1, 466 2, 301
1987 17, 707 13, 904 1, 169 2, 634
1988 18, 272 14, 179 1, 278 2, 815
1989 20, 190 16, 287 1, 620 2, 283
1990 20, 362 16, 461 1, 963 1, 938
1991 19, 529 15, 533 2, 264 1, 732
1992 18, 443 14, 389 3, 044 1, 010
1993 21, 392 17, 711 2, 723 958
1994 121, 404 117, 753 2, 990 2661
1995 124, 486 118, 310 5, 003 21, 173
1996 120, 754 117, 813 2, 683 2258
1997 121, 680 117, 065 4, 507 2108
1Includes estimates for outstanding returns.
2Figures based on incomplete returns.