§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make available to local authorities in Wales his estimate of the minimum finance which each authority might expect to receive for housing renovation and repair, out of the all Wales fund for which initial bids are invited by 15 February; and if he will make a statement on the guidance which he plans to give to local authorities on the preparation of 1999–2000 housing budgets in advance of decisions on the total finance which will be available to them from his Department. [71354]
563W
Mr. Jon Owen JonesI cannot estimate the amount of resources which will be allocated to individual local authorities until their bids have been considered. I do not issue guidance on the preparation of housing budgets as these are matters for individual local authorities.
Following the transfer of powers, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales by what date he plans to inform local authorities in Wales of their allocation from the all Wales fund for housing renovation for which they have been invited to bid; by what date the final bids have to be submitted by local authorities; and if he will list the criteria on which these bids will be assessed. [71351]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesI intend to issue decisions on the allocation of the resources by the beginning of the next financial year. Final detailed bids must be with my Department by 12 March 1999. The criteria for assessment of bids will depend on the nature and priority of the scheme involved. Details are set out in my Department's letter of 25 January, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Following the transfer of powers, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the total cost of renovations and repairs needing to be done to the housing stock of Wales(a) in the public rented sector, (b) in the voluntary rented sector and (c) in the private sector. [71352]
Mr. Jon Owen JonesThe latest estimates of the costs of repair are from the 1993 Welsh House Condition Survey. The available information is given in the following table.
The 1997–98 Welsh House Condition Survey is being completed. Information from this survey will be available later this year.
Estimated total cost of repair of occupied first homes, by tenure, 1993 Tenure Total repair cost (£ million at 1993 prices) Rented from local authorities or Development Board for Rural Wales 244 Rented from housing associations 13 Rented from private landlords 153 Owner occupied 863 All tenures 1,273 Following the transfer of powers, these issues will be a matter for the National Assembly.