§ Dr. MoonieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to publish the Green Paper on housing in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [71994]
§ Mr. DewarI am publishing the Green Paper "Investing in Modernisation—An Agenda for Scotland's Housing" today, and have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.
The Government's firm belief is that every household should be able to live in a decent, secure and affordable home, and the Green Paper sets out a range of ideas and proposals for achieving this objective. We have already made substantial progress towards this goal, for example, by providing an additional £300 million of investment for housing; by developing new programmes through the Warm Deal, Empty Homes, and Rough Sleepers initiatives; by establishing New Housing Partnerships to lever in private finance; and by putting community regeneration and tenant empowerment at the centre of our strategy. The publication of "Investing in Modernisation"—the first Scottish Housing Green Paper in twenty years—is further evidence of the importance which this Government attach to improving housing in Scotland.
The Green Paper seeks views on a wide-range of issues and proposals, some forty in all. It emphasises the need for a long-term strategy which recognises the links with health, employment, and environmental policies and the role that housing can play in promoting social inclusion. It addresses all housing tenures, and places particular emphasis on the housing needs of the most vulnerable members of our society—rough sleepers and the homeless, community care users and families in cold and damp homes. "Investing in Modernisation" sets out the Government's ideas for revitalising public housing through the promotion of community ownership, which offers the prospect of fundamental and radical change which should bring major benefits to tenants, local authorities and communities. The Green Paper also highlights the importance of local authorities developing a strategic role in respect of housing in their areas, and it assesses the current activities of Scottish Homes and seeks views on how these might best be carried out in future.
"Investing in Modernisation" is a consultative document which is intended to stimulate debate and discussion about the long-term housing policies and strategies which are most relevant to Scotland's 157W distinctive needs and circumstances. The closing date for responses to the Green Paper is 31 May 1999. Responses will be made available to the Scottish Parliament and Executive, who will have responsibility for determining, after 1 July, whether these proposals should be taken forward.