§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will reduce the ODPM target of achieving 200,000 council housing stock transfers a year; and what numbers have been achieved in each of the last five years. [99058]
§ Mr. McNultyThere is no target for transferring council housing to registered social landlords. The December 2000 housing policy statement, "Quality and Choice: The way forward for housing", said that the Government was willing to support the transfer of up to 200,000 homes annually in the period 2001–02 to 2003–04, where a local authority selects the transfer option and has the support of tenants. The number of homes transferring over the last 5 financial years is set out in the table below:
726W
Financial Year Number of Units Transferred 1997–98 32,982 1998–99 73,900
Financial Year Number of Units Transferred 1999–00 97,385 2000–01 134,219 2001–02 ⋆35,390 ⋆ Between 1997 and 2000 the duration of each transfer programme was one year. This period was extended to 2 years from 2001. Therefore the final total for the 2001 programme is expected to be 186,777 which comprises 35,390 dwellings which transferred in 2001–02, 86,387 transferred to date in 2002–03, and a further 65,000 that are due to transfer by 31 March 2003.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what contribution the £800 million set aside for 2003–04 to finance stock transfer by writing of overhanging debt makes to the most deprived local authority areas. [99060]
§ Mr. McNultyThe Government's target is to make all social housing decent by 2010, including that in the most deprived local authority areas. Housing transfer is one route by which this can be achieved. Payments to meet local authorities' overhanging debt are made where the value of the housing stock transferring is less than a local authority's associated housing debt.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what changes he requested to the National Audit Office report on council housing stock transfers; [99061]
(2) what queries he has raised with the National Audit Office about its report into council housing stock transfers; and whether those changes resulted in the delay in publication. [99063]
§ Mr. McNultyIn line with normal practice, the National Audit Office's draft report is being discussed and the facts in it agreed with officials in the office of the Deputy Prime Minister. A publication date for the report has always been provisional subject to the work being complete.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what help will be given to councils whose council housing stock is in negative equity to pursue large scale voluntary transfers. [99064]
§ Mr. McNultyMy right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's action plan "Sustainable Communities: building for the future" published on 5 February says the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will explore options for gap funding housing transfer where the stock has a negative value.