HC Deb 19 June 2002 vol 387 cc414-5W
Andrew George

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new accommodation units have been created by(a) local authorities, (b) registered housing associations and (c) other Government registered housing providers in the form of (i) council houses, (ii) housing association units for rent, (iii) shared-equity properties, (iv) social housing as a conditional proportion of new private sector development and (v) other forms of affordable social housing in each of the past five years for which records are available. [62596]

Mr. McNulty

Information is collected from local authorities and Registered Social Landlords (housing associations) about the provision of new affordable social housing, which in the case of RSLs includes the acquisition of existing property from the private sector for refurbishment. Completions of rented social housing and shared or outright social ownership schemes as reported by local authorities and RSLs was as follows:

Other Government registered housing providers are housing action trusts (HATs) and the arms length management companies (ALMOS). All new units created by HATs have arisen from the major refurbishment of existing, or replacement of demolished, social housing. The small number of recently created ALMOS have not yet created any new units.

Reliable data about the number of private sector properties directly provided for affordable rent or discounted sale without any form of public funding are not available centrally. Local authorities have been asked to provide summary information on all affordable housing activity as part of this year's housing investment programme (HIP) returns, although on the basis of data first provided last year we believe that they may have under-reported RSL provision.

Available information reported through the HIP process about planning permissions for affordable housing units, including both low cost market and subsidised housing is as follows:

Granted
1998–99 14,333
1999–2000 15,543
2000–01 14,768

Information for earlier years was not collected centrally, and is not yet available for 2001–02.