§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the average annual subsidy per tenant, taking into account housing benefits and capital grants paid by the Exchequer, to(a) council tenants and (b) tenants of registered social landlords, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [114719]
§ Mr. MullinTable 1 shows the information that is available on the level of Exchequer support for tenants of local authorities and of registered social landlords (RSLs), but the information does not allow a direct comparison between the two sectors. The table shows the Exchequer subsidy which is paid to local authorities in respect of their tenants as Housing Revenue Account subsidy, and the Housing Benefit paid to tenants of RSLs.
Capital support for local authorities is in the form of permissions to borrow (known as Basic Credit Approvals) rather than capital grants; the interest on this borrowing is subsidised as part of the Housing Revenue Account subsidy.
Table 2 shows the Exchequer capital grants paid as Social Housing Grant (SHG) to RSLs by the Housing Corporation through the Approved Development Programme (ADP). SHG enables RSLs to provide affordable housing for rent and sale. Because the benefit of the SHG is realised over the lifetime of the property there is no direct correlation between the grant paid in any one year and the number of tenants.
Table 1 £ per dwelling per annum Average per dwelling of Housing Element and Rent Rebate subsidy paid to local authorities Average gross expenditure on rent allowances for tenants of registered social landlords 1990–91 922 — 1991–92 964 — 1992–93 1,044 — 1993–94 1,100 1,222 1994–95 1,145 1,430 1995–96 1,146 1,640 1996–97 1,173 1,825 1997–98 1,140 1,892 1998–99 1,078 1,977 Notes:
1. The figures are averages per dwelling.
2. Local authority information is derived from subsidy claim forms, and shows the sum of Housing Element and Rent Rebate subsidy.
3. For registered social landlords, estimates derived from quarterly and annual statistical returns, and annual subsidy claim forms, from local authorities.
4. Information on average gross expenditure for registered social landlords is not available before 1993–94.
5. England only
532W
Table 2: Housing corporation gross approved development programme expenditure £ million Year 1992–93 2,351 1993–94 1,810 1994–95 1,484 1995–96 1,142 1996–97 1,044 1998–99 684 1998–99 607 Notes:
1. Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme is the main component of the Social Housing Grant. RSLs bid for capital grants from the ADP to develop new social housing, with rents at sub-market levels.
2. Figures taken from Housing Corporation Stewardship Reports. Reliable information is only available from 1992–93.
3. England only