§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the estimated number of new homes for nurses in south-east England which will be built under the Starter Home Initiative over the years 2001–02 to 2003–04. [26921]
§ Ms KeebleAround 3,500 nurses and other essential health workers in London and the south-east will be helped to buy homes through the Starter Home Initiative allocations totalling £230 million which were announced on 6 September 2001. The arrangements for allocating Round 2 Starter Home Initiative funding of £20 million will be announced shortly.
We expect the majority of key workers being helped through the Starter Home Initiative will purchase existing properties. A number of schemes will provide new build properties only, a number will target existing properties and a number of large schemes will target existing properties and also try to identify opportunities for new build.
§ Mr. HoramTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will allow access to the Starter Home Initiative for key workers to teachers in further education colleges. [26012]
§ Ms KeebleThe subsidy we are providing to assist people into home ownership is limited and has to be targeted in ways that best help our communities. The Starter Home Initiative funding available for teachers is being targeted on teachers working in schools because this is where the most severe recruitment and retention problems in the profession are being experienced.
Teachers in further education and other key workers will benefit from our wider housing policies to increase the supply of affordable homes, particularly in areas where demand is high. Investment in housing will rise to more than £4 billion by 2003–04 and we are consulting on radical proposals for the more effective delivery of affordable housing through the planning system which would help provide greater opportunities for key workers.