§ Jeremy CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects to relax the limitations on local authorities' borrowing against their assets for housing improvements or construction. [55613]
§ Ms KeebleA change is to be made allow authorities to borrow without Government consent where they can afford to service the debt from available revenue resources. This change requires primary legislation and will be made as soon as the parliamentary timetable permits.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment the Government have made of the likely number of new dwellings that would be required in(a) London and (b) the south-east in order to satisfy predicted housing demand in the next 10 years. [55616]
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§ Ms KeebleRegional Planning Guidance for London and the south-east (RPG9) provides that 23,000 additional dwellings should be provided in London and 39,000 in the rest of the south-east (including, for these purposes, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Essex) each year on average until such time as the figures are reviewed.
§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what recent assessment he has made of the costs of building(a) prefabricated houses and flats and (b) non-pre-fabricated permanent houses and flats; [56003]
(2) what recent discussions he has held with the house building industry on the merits of pre-fabricated housing. [56004]
§ Mr. ByersIt is not the normal practice of Governments to release details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies.
The Government do not hold benchmark costings on the difference between modular and traditional build. The Peabody Trust have said that their pioneering modular development at Murray Grove was slightly more expensive than a similar sized traditional build development. Costs could be expected to fall with greater volume in further developments.