HC Deb 15 February 2000 vol 344 cc463-4W
Mrs. Brinton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to increase the availability of suitable housing to the elderly. [109247]

Mr. Mullin

Over the lifetime of this Parliament, we are providing nearly £5 billion of extra resources for investment in housing in England. Most of these resources are being directed through local authorities who are key to the delivery of our housing policies. £2.1 billion has been allocated to local authorities in 2000–01, through the Housing Investment Programme—48 per cent. more than was available in the current year.

We believe that local authorities are best placed to decide on the needs and priorities of their areas and their investment decisions for these additional resources should be based on robust local assessments of the housing needs of all groups within the community, including addressing the needs of the elderly.

In particular, grants are available through local authorities, to help elderly and disabled people to carry out adaptions and improvements that enable them to remain in comfort and safety in their own homes. Provision for disabled facilities grants is due to increase by a quarter over the current expenditure period, and this is expected to pay for over 10,000 additional adaptations.

From within this total, the Department contributes funds to support the work of the Construction Industry Board, the Construction Best Practice Programme, the Movement for Innovation Board and the Housing Forum, on their work to improve the industry's performance.

The Department also provides support for external and internal trade missions to promote UK interests in overseas markets.

Mr. Baldry

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much funding he has provided to support the(a) Movement for Innovation, (b) Construction Industry Training Board, (c) Construction Best Practice programme and (d) Housing Forum for the years (i) 1998–99 and (ii) 1999–2000. [R] [108707]

Ms Beverley Hughes

DETR funding has been as follows: