§ Mr. HopkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list(a) the amount of overhanging debt which has been written off by central Government for each local authority which has transferred its housing stock to a registered social landlord in each of the past three years, (b) the total estimated amount of overhanging debt which will be written off in 2001–02 and 2002–03 and (c) the budget heads under which these amounts are specified. [158214]
Mr. Robert AinsworthA local authority is required to use the capital receipt from the transfer of its housing stock to repay the debt attributable to that stock. Where this is insufficient the Department will provide a one-off payment to assist the authority repay the debt. The capital receipt must, however, first cover any premiums payable to the Public Works Loan Board on the early repayment of the loans.
To date, four one-off payments have been made. In 1999–2000 £20.99 million was paid to Burnley. In 2000–01 payments were made to Coventry (£111.68 million) Calderdale (£64.59 million) and Blackburn with Darwen (£78.9 million). Estimates for any future one-off payments will depend upon the housing stock transfer programme for the years concerned. Any resources required for the one-off payments will be held in the DETR Housing Budget.
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§ Mr. HopkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the level of housing revenue account debt for each local authority in England. [158213]
§ Mr. HopkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to subsidise local authorities, debt breakage costs where, following a large scale voluntary stock transfer, their capital receipt does not cover the full amount. [158212]