HC Deb 22 April 2004 vol 420 cc650-1W
Mr. Clifton-Brown

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for the years 1997 and 2003(a) how many houses were sold under (i) the right-to-buy scheme and (ii) the right-to-acquire scheme, (b) how many council houses were built and (c) how many registered social landlord houses were built. [166898]

Keith Hill

The figures are available for financial years 1996–97 and 2002–03 and are tabled as follows:

1996–97 2002–03
Right-to-buy sales—LA tenants 33,206 63,394
Right-to-buy sales—RSL tenants 2,300 10,473
Right-to-acquire sales 0 228
RSL new build completions 24,630 13,330
Council new build completions 451 271

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is regarding the percentage of social housing that should be built on land released for residential use by the Ministry of Defence and the additional infrastructure that will be required; and what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on this subject. [166915]

Keith Hill

Government policy on the proportion of affordable housing to be provided in new developments is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: "Housing" (2000). This states that local planning authorities should identify suitable areas and sites on which affordable housing is to be provided and the amount of provision which will be sought. Additional infrastructure required by new developments varies from site to site and is a matter for agreement between the parties. Former Ministry of Defence sites are treated in the same way by the planning system as any other development site.

There is regular contact between Ministry of Defence and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, including at ministerial level. English Partnerships has been given the role under the Sustainable Communities Plan (February 2003) to find and assemble land, especially brownfield and publicly owned land, for sustainable development.