HC Deb 15 October 2002 vol 390 cc831-40W
Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average length of time was between an application for rehousing under the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme and nomination to a property in the last 12 months. [74151]

Mr. Tony McNulty

276 days.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what has been the annual rate of reletting of council housing stock in each year since 1972. [74261]

Mr. Tony McNulty

Centrally available information collected from local authorities annually since 1979–80 is presented below.

Local Authority Stock Lettings to New and Existing Tenants: England
Total Lettings as a % of stock
1979–80 411,800 8.6
1980–81 444,000 9.2
1981–82 414,700 8.6
1982–83 438,800 9.0
1983–84 429,100 9.1
1984–85 429,300 9.3
1985–86 437,000 9.6
1986–87 430,200 9.6
1987–88 425,800 9.6
1988–89 410,200 9.5
1989–90 390,300 9.3
1990–91 400,900 9.9
1991–92 406,500 10.4
1992–93 399,900 10.4
1993–94 404,900 10.8
1994–95 407,900 11.1
1995–96 415,200 11.6
1996–97 422,000 12.2
1997–98 403,900 11.9
1998–99 378,900 11.4
1999–2000 354,000 11.1
2000–01 326,600 10.8

Note:

Lettings include mutual exchanges and transfers of existing tenants, and lettings made to new tenants on either secure or non-secure tenancies.

Source:

DOE/DTLR/ODPM Housing Investment Programme returns (annual)

Mr. Gareth Thomas

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with local authorities about the Housing Mutual model to encourage housing transfer. [74515]

Mr. Tony McNulty

Ministers have had no discussions with English local authorities about the Housing Mutual model to encourage housing transfer.

Mr. Wiggin

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the rate of change was in house prices in the past five years, broken down by region. [73964]

Mr. Tony McNulty

The rate of change in house prices in the past five years, by region, is estimated to have been as follows.

North East + 3.7%
North West + 54.8%
Yorkshire and The Humber + 49.6%
East Midlands + 72.4%
West Midlands + 65.4%
East + 92.6%
London + 110.0%
South East + 94.6%
South West + 97.0%
England + 82.7%
Wales + 56.1%
Scotland + 27.5%
Northern Ireland + 66.1%
United Kingdom + 77.1%

Sources:

ODPM Survey of Mortgage Lenders

Increase in the regional house price indices between Q2 1997 and Q2 2002.

Mr. Wray

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent action has been taken to address the Housing shortages in(a) Glasgow and (b) the UK. [74419]

Mr. Tony McNulty

Following devolution, housing policy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for the relevant devolved administrations.

Regional Planning Guidance requires planning bodies to strategically examine housing need, including the need for affordable housing, across their areas. We also expect local authorities to plan to meet their housing needs.

However, we recognise the need for more affordable homes in England, and have substantially increased resources to address this. Funding for the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme (ADP) for next year will be £1.2 billion, almost double the figure for 2000–2001. This should deliver 22,700 homes next year.

My right hon. Friend, the Deputy Prime Minister will return to the House at the turn of the year with a comprehensive long-term programme of action to tackle supply and demand issues, as promised in his statement of 18 July, Official Report, Hansard, (col. 438).

Mr. Wray

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent action has been taken to ensure that(a) the right to buy is not abused and (b) people are able to have the option of buying their homes. [74421]

Mr. Tony McNulty

We are concerned about abuses of the Right to Buy scheme and we have commissioned research into their scope and extent. The results will be available by the end of this year. We are considering what can be done about such abuses, but we have no plans to end the Right to Buy scheme.

Under its devolved powers, the Scottish Parliament has passed legislation introducing a Modernised Right to Buy for new tenants in Scotland. to take effect from 30 September 2002.

Mr. Wray

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent measures have been taken to improve the quality and conditions of social housing in(a) Glasgow and (b) the UK. [74420]

Mr. Tony McNulty

Responsibility for housing in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for the relevant devolved administrations.

For England we have set a Public Service Agreement target to bring all social housing up to a decent standard by 2010.

To help ensure delivery against this target we have set up a Delivery Unit to work with Government Offices and the Housing Corporation to ensure local authorities and housing associations quantify the level of non-decent housing in their stock and put in place a strategy for dealing with the problem, backed up by a very significant increase in resources since 1997.

The emphasis on delivery is paying dividends and we are on track to meet our interim target of bringing a third of the worst social housing up to a decent standard by 2004.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many applicants are on the waiting list for a nomination to a property under the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme. [74150]

Mr. Tony McNulty

On 30 September 2002 there were 564 applicants on the waiting list for a nomination to a property under the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme.

Local Authority 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02
Barking and Dagenham 2 x 2 bed 3 x 2 bed 4 x 2 bed 4 1 x bedsit 1 x 1 bed
3 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed 1 x 1 bed 1 x 3 bed
1 x 3 bed
Barnet 1 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 0 2 x bedsit 2 x 1 bed
3 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed 1 x 1 bed
1 x 3 bed 2 x 2 bed
1 x 4 bed
Bexley 1 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 0
Brent 1 x 3 bed 1 x 1 bed 0 1 x 3 bed 1 x 2 bed
Bromley 2 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 2 x 1 bed 0 1 x 1 bed 3 x 1 bed
1 x 3 bed 1 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed
1 x 5+ bed
Camden 2 x bedsit 1 x 1 bed 6 x 1 bed 7 3 x bedsit 1 x 1 bed
4 x 1 bed 3 x 2 bed 3 x 2 bed 6 x 1 bed 2 x 1 bed
3 x 2 bed 1 x 3 bed 3 x 3 bed 2 x 2 bed 1 x 3 bed
1 x 4 bed 1 x 4 bed
City of London 1 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed I x bedsit 1 1 x bedsit
1 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed 1 x 1 bed
1 x 3 bed 1 x 2 bed
1 x 3 bed
Croydon 1 x 1 bed 1 x bedsit 4 x 1 bed 7 6 x 1 bed 3 x 1 bed
2 x 1 bed 3 x 3 bed 3 x 2 bed 3 x 2 bed
2 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed 2 x 3 bed
1 x 4 bed
Ealing 2 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 4 1 x 2 bed 1 x 1 bed
1 x 3 bed 1 x 2 bed 2 x 3 bed 1 x 4 bed
Enfield 5 x 1 bed 1 x bedsit 1 x 1 bed 5 1 x 2 bed 1 x 1 bed
2 x 2 bed 1 x 1 bed 1 x 2 bed 1 x 3 bed 3 x 2 bed
2 x 3 bed 4 x 2 bed 2 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed
1 x 3 bed
Greenwich 1 x 3 bed 5 x 1 bed 9 x 2 bed 6 5 x 1 bed 3 x 1 bed
3 x 2 bed 9 x 2 bed 2 x 3 bed 4 x 2 bed 3 x 2 bed
2 x 3 bed 3 x 3 bed 3 x 3 bed
3 x 4 bed

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research his Department has undertaken into the impact of relets of council housing of the introduction of the Right-to-Buy scheme. [74262]

Mr. Tony McNulty

We have commissioned research into the scope and extent of abuses of the Right to Buy scheme. The results will be available by the end of this year.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme on easing pressure on social housing in London; [74152]

(2) how many and what size of properties were released by nominees from London boroughs to the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme in each year since 1979, broken down by region. [74149]

Mr. Tony McNulty

The number of London Lettings released by the operation of the scheme in recent years are listed in the table below. This represents a useful contribution to easing pressure on social housing in London.

The number of households rehoused under the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme by property size are as follows. Figures prior to 1996–97 are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. For 1999–00 (when the Management of the Scheme was moved from North British Housing Association to HOMES) figures are not available by property size.

Local Authority 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02
Hackney 1 x bedsit 8 x 1 bed 3 x bedsit 13 1 x bedsit 1 x 1 bed
6 x 2 bed 5 x 2 bed 3 x 1 bed 2 x 1 bed 2 x 2 bed
6 x 3 bed 10 x 3 bed 9 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed 2 x 3 bed
1 x 5+ bed 6 x 3 bed
1 x 4 bed
Hammersmith & Fulham 2 x 1 bed 3 x 1 bed 4 x 2 bed 1 2 x 2 bed 1 x bedsit
3 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed 1 x 3 bed 1 x 2 bed
1 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed 1 x 4 bed
1 x 4 bed
Haringey 1 x 1 bed 2 x 1 bed 7 x 2 bed 13 2 x bedsit 2 x 1 bed
3 x 2 bed 3 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed 4 x 3 bed
1 x 3 bed 5 x 3 bed 2 x 3 bed
1 x 4 bed
Harrow 1 x 2 bed 2 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 0 1 x 1 bed
1 x 3 bed
Havering 4 x 1 bed 3 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 4 3 x 1 bed
3 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed 4 x 2 bed 3 x 3 bed
2 x 3 bed
Hillingdon 1 x 3 bed 1 x 2 bed 0 1 x 1 bed 1 x 3 bed
1 x 3 bed 1 x 2 bed
2 x 3 bed
Hounslow 1 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 1 x bedsit 6 1 x 2 bed 4 x 1 bed
2 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed 1 x 1 bed 4 x 3 bed 3 x 2 bed
1 x 2 bed 1 x 3 bed
2 x 3 bed
Islington 4 x 1 bed 1 x bedsit 2 x 1 bed 12 5 x 1 bed 3 x 1 bed
5 x 2 bed 2 x 1 bed 4 x 2 bed 3 x 2 bed 4 x 2 bed
1 x 3 bed 5 x 2 bed 1 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed 5 x 3 bed
4 x 3 bed 1 x 4 bed 2 x 4 bed 2 x 4 bed
1 x 4 bed
Kensington and Chelsea 1 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 1 x bedsit 2 1 x bedsit 1 x bedsit
2 x 2 bed 1 x 1 bed 1 x 3 bed
1 x 2 bed
Kingston upon Thames 1 x 1 bed 1 x bedsit 1 1 x 3 bed 1 x 2 bed
1 x 1 bed
Lambeth 3 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 4 x bedsit 11 2 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed
9 x 2 bed 5 x 2 bed 2 x 1 bed 4 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed
3 x 3 bed 6 x 3 bed 1 x 2 bed 3 x 3 bed 3 x 3 bed
1 x 4 bed 2 x 4 bed 4 x 3 bed 1 x 4 bed 3 x 4 bed
Lewisham 2 x 1 bed 3 x 1 bed 2 x 1 bed 6 2 x 1 bed 2 x 1 bed
3 x 2 bed 9 x 2 bed 4 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed 6 x 2 bed
2 x 3 bed 6 x 3 bed 3 x 3 bed 5 x 3 bed 3 x 3 bed
1 x 4 bed 1 x 4 bed
Merton 1 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 1 x 2 bed 2 2 x 2 bed 1 x 1 bed
1 x 2 bed 2 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed
1 x 3 bed
Newham 1 x bedsit 2 x 1 bed 2 x 1 bed 13 16 x 1 bed 2 x 1 bed
6 x 1 bed 10 x 2 bed 10 x 2 bed 7 x 2 bed 10 x 2 bed
12 x 2 bed 3 x 3 bed 5 x 3 bed 7 x 3 bed 10 x 3 bed
4 x 3 bed 2 x 4 bed 3 x 4 bed 1 x 4 bed
4 x 4 bed
Redbridge 2 x 1 bed 2 x 2 bed 1 x 1 bed 0 2 x 1 bed
1 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed
Richmond upon Thames 1 x 2 bed 1 x bedsit 0 1 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed
1 x 3 bed
Southwark 4 x 1 bed 1 x bedsit 7 x 1 bed 14 4 x 1 bed 2 x 1 bed
11 x 2 bed 6 x 1 bed 7 x 2 bed 5 x 2 bed 8 x 2 bed
10 x 3 bed 8 x 2 bed 8 x 3 bed 12 x 3 bed 6 x 3 bed
3 x 4 bed 5 x 3 bed 1 x 4 bed 1 x 4 bed
1 x 5+ bed
Sutton 1 x 3 bed 1 x 2 bed 1 x 1 bed 3 1 x 2 bed 1 x 1 bed
1 x 5+ bed 1 x 2 bed 1 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed
2 x 3 bed
Tower Hamlets 2 x 1 bed 1 x bedsit 1 x bedsit 10 10 x 1 bed 4 x 1 bed
4 x 2 bed 6 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 4 x 2 bed 2 x 2 bed
4 x 3 bed 7 x 2 bed 3 x 2 bed 2 x 3 bed 3 x 3 bed
3 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed 1 x 4 bed 1 x 4 bed
1 x 4 bed
Waltham Forest 2 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed 8 2 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed
5 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed 3 x 2 bed 2 x 2 bed 1 x 2 bed
1 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed 1 x 3 bed
Wandsworth 1 x 1 bed 2 x 1 bed 4 x 1 bed 3 2 x 2 bed 2 x 1 bed
3 x 2 bed 2 x 2 bed 4 x 2 bed 2 x 3 bed 2 x 2 bed
1 x 3 bed 2 x 3 bed 2 x 3 bed

Local Authority 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02
Westminster 1 x bedsit 1 x bedsit 1 x 4 bed 2 1 x 1 bed 1 x bedsit
3 x 1 bed 3 x 1 bed 1 x 1 bed
1 x 4 bed
Total 5 x bedsit 8 x bedsit 11 x bedist 10 x bedsit 4 x bedsit
58 x 1 bed 63 x 1 bed 46 x 1 bed 69 x 1 bed 47 x 1 bed
85 x 2 bed 86 x 2 bed 85 x 2 bed 51 x 2 bed 54 x 2 bed
47 x 3 bed 53 x 3 bed 43 x 3 bed 65 x 3 bed 51 x 3 bed
12 x 4 bed 10 x 4 bed 5 x 4 bed 10 x 4 bed 10 x 4 bed
4 x 5+ bed
Moves from RSLs (location and property size not recorded) 9 8 9 25
Total 207 224 199 166 214 191

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many appeals against the valuation of a property being sold under the right-to-buy scheme have been submitted in London in each year since 1980; and how many of those appeals resulted in a reduction in the valuation. [74267]

Mr. Tony McNulty

Figures for the number of appeals against Right to Buy valuations in London are only available from 1992 onwards, information prior to this date is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. They are as follows:

Year Appeals against valuations by local authorities Appeals against valuations Registered Social Landlords
1992–93 2,311 27
1993–94 1,300 25
1994–95 757 18
1995–96 705 4
1996–97 715 2
1997–98 920 6
1998–99 1,041 4
1999–2000 1,615 39
2000–01 2,008 42
2000–02 1,758 80
Totals 13,130 247

Information on the number of appeals that resulted in a lower valuation is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

A review of the system for valuing properties for Right to Buy purposes is in progress. The results will be made publicly available when the project is completed.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the popularity of the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme among older tenants in London. [74153]

Mr. Tony McNulty

No recent assessment has been made of the popularity of the Scheme.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to require boroughs in London which have received above expected Approved Development Programme funding from the Housing Corporation to make a proportion of new lettings available to applicants from boroughs with lower than expected ADP funding. [74260]

Mr. Tony McNulty

The Housing Corporation will be working closely with London boroughs to agree a framework across London for the pooling of nominations for new lettings on a sub-regional basis, similar to those in existence under the London Housing Partnership programme, to widen choice and promote cohesive communities.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact that the Rent Rebate Subsidy Limitation regulations have on a local authority's capacity to finance the revenue costs of concierge security schemes. [74148]

Mr. Tony McNulty

Each local authority has a responsibility to balance its Housing Revenue Account, and to decide what services it can provide taking account of its income e.g. from rents and HRA subsidy.

Mr. Swayne

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to establish separate funding provision for(a) new social and affordable housing, (b) repair and regeneration of social sector stock, and (c) funding of housing market renewal; and if he will make a statement. [73944]

Mr. Tony McNulty

The 2002 spending review settlement has provided an extra £1.4 billion for housing over three years. This will help to provide well-designed, affordable homes where they are needed, improve stock conditions in both the social and the private sectors, and tackle low demand through significant funding for the pathfinder projects.

Current arrangements channel most funding for new affordable housing through the Housing Corporation, and for repair of social stock through local authorities.

My right hon. Friend The Deputy Prime Minister announced on 18 July, Official Report, Hansard, (col. 438) that he plans to bring housing investment into a single regional pot, to ensure that housing investment decisions are brought together with planning for housing, and linked with regional economic and transport strategies. He is carefully considering the best way forward and will announce the details in due course.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to expand the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme. [74154]

Mr. Tony McNulty

There are currently no plans to expand the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme. However, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is working with HOMES, North British Housing Association and the London Borough of Bromley (on behalf of the London Boroughs) to review the workings of the scheme in order to improve the efficiency of its operation.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households in London are one or more bedrooms below the bedroom standard, broken down by local authority. [74145]

Mr. Tony McNulty

The information requested for London, together with comparable data for England, is given in the table below.

Information for individual local authorities is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Households Below the Bedroom Standard1: 2001–022
Thousand Per cent.
London 175 6
England 501 2

Source:

Survey of English Housing, ODPM

1 Bedroom standard is an indicator of occupation density. A notional number of bedrooms are allocated to each household in accordance with its age/sex/marital status composition and the relationship of the members to each other. This is then compared with the actual number of bedrooms (including bed-sitters) available for the sole use of the household.

2Information for 2001–02 is provisional.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research he has commissioned into the Housing Health and Safety Rating System since July 2001; what the terms of reference are for that research; who is undertaking it; and when he expects it to be published. [74143]

Mr. Tony McNulty

We are currently running three research projects relating to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). The first, which began in January 2001, is to develop the statistics to support the system, and is being carried out by Warwick University with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The second, which began in August 2001, is an evaluation project, by DTZ Pieda, to identify the practical lessons to be learned from the publication of Version 1 of HHSRS in July 2000. The third, which began in September 2001, is to produce the guidance needed to assist local authorities in the application of HHSRS specifically to houses in multiple occupation, and is being carried out by the Building Research Establishment. Reports on these projects are expected to be published by the end of this year. This work will inform the production of Version 2 of HHSRS, which we expect to commission in time for publication next autumn as part of a comprehensive package of guidance.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of the size and type of accommodation suitable as an alternative to LA and RSL tenants underoccupying their current accommodation; and what measures he has taken to encourge LAs and RSLs in areas of high demand to ensure that this type of accommodation is included in new developments. [74156]

Mr. Tony McNulty

No such assessment has been carried out by the Government. However, local authorities in their role as strategic housing authorities are required to assess the type of accommodation required in their areas. Local authorities may also require a proportion of affordable housing as part of new developments, often built by Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and funded by the Housing Corporation. RSLs must ensure that bids for capital investment in social housing fit with local authority and regional priorities and the Housing Corporation's National Investment Strategy.

Over the next ten years, the Government will encourage councils and housing associations to set their rents to within 5 per cent. of the levels given by a national formula that reflects a property's size, location and condition. This will give tenants the choice over paying more for a larger property in a high cost area, or saving money by renting a smaller property.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to replace the current overcrowding standards; and if he will make a statement. [74144]

Mr. Tony McNulty

The Government has no immediate plans to replace the overcrowding standard. But it is considering the extent to which overcrowding can be tackled through a new health and safety enforcement regime for housing, based on the new health and safety rating system.

The Government intends to legislate to introduce the new enforcement regime as a replacement for the fitness standard when Parliamentary time allows.

Ms Oona King

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of the impact of concierge security schemes on anti-social behaviour in local authority tower blocks. [74147]

Mr. Tony McNulty

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not made a recent assessment of the impact of concierge security schemes on anti-social behaviour in local authority tower blocks.