Housing (Hansard, 24 June 2004)

§ Dr. Pugh
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many housing units were built in 2003–04 in the Pathfinder areas of Merseyside; and how many are expected to be built in 2004–05. [179729]

§ Keith Hill
No housing dwellings were completed in 2003–04 in the Sefton area of the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder. The forecast for 2004–05 is 52 housing dwellings. In Wirral, 42 dwellings were completed in 2003–04 and the forecast for 2004–05 is 105. Figures are not yet available for the Liverpool Pathfinder area in 2003–04, but the HMRI Delivery Plan forecasts that 1,301 dwellings will be provided over the period 2004–06.

§ Adam Price
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local authorities in England have chosen(a) stock transfer, (b) Arms Length Management and (c) Private Finance Initiative. [180185]

§ Keith Hill
The information is as follows:
Since 2001:

(a) 35 local authorities have transferred some or all of their housing stock to Registered Social Landlords, with 29 others on stock transfer programmes that have not yet transferred their stock.

(b) 33 local authorities have established one or more Arms Length Management Organisations, with 12 other authorities on programmes waiting to do so.

(c) three local authorities have signed Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts for the management of their housing stock, with a further nine local authorities in the procurement stage.

Included in the figures are 13 local authorities that have chosen two of the available solutions for part of their stock, and one local authority that has used all three programmes.

§ Adam Price
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received from local authorities in England seeking direct Government investment options to improve standards in their housing stock.[180187]

§ Keith Hill
Hammersmith and Fulham and Camden are the only local authorities who themselves have requested direct investment from the Government to meet the Decent Homes programme.

§ Adam Price
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of empty homes in each local authority in England in the last year for which figures are available. [180193]

§ Keith Hill
The information requested has been made available in the Library of the House.
1477W

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effect of(a) large scale voluntary stock transfers of council housing and (b) Arms Length Management Organisations on the provision of low cost housing. [180037]

§ Keith Hill
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made no direct assessment since we do not expect the transfer of existing council housing to Registered Social Landlords (RSL) or its management by an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) in itself to directly affect the provision of low cost housing for key sector workers. Where a local authority receives a receipt from a housing transfer it may be used to contribute towards the provision of additional low cost housing.

§ Jeremy Corbyn
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what policy on investment in decent homes standards is followed by his Department for council homes where the tenants and residents have voted neither to transfer to a registered social landlord nor to establish an Arms Length Management Organisation. [180350]

§ Keith Hill
Stock Transfer, Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) and Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) are the only options available to local authorities and tenants to access any extra resources they need to deliver Decent Homes.
Where tenants have voted against all these options following full tenant engagement in determining the option voted on, the Government will respect that decision, but no extra funding will be provided. The resources available for investment in Decent Homes will be those currently provided through Housing Subsidy, the Major Repairs Allowance, and what the local authority chooses to make available through the single capital pot and through receipts from any other income.