Written question asked by John Penrose (Conservative) on Friday, 5 October 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 October 2007. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Monday, 15 October 2007 on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Housing: Low Incomes

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to introduce the Key Worker Living Programme (a) in Weston-Super-Mare and (b) elsewhere in the South West.

Answer: The Key Worker Living programme is focused on helping key workers in London, the East and the South East of England regions as areas with the greatest recruitment and retention issues.The Government provide each of the nine English regions with funding for affordable housing and asks the regional housing assemblies (previously the regional housing boards) to recommend how the money should be invested based on regional and local housing priorities. All the assemblies were asked whether they wished to recommend allocating a percentage of their resources to help key workers and only London, the East and South East have done so for the 2006-08 funding period. The South West regional housing board recommended that key public sector workers providing essential public services should be one of the priority groups for low cost home ownership assistance through the 2006-07 to 2007-08 National Affordable Housing Programme.From April 2006, key workers have become eligible for all Government funded low cost home ownership schemes alongside social tenants, those on the housing register and priority first-time buyers recommended by regional housing boards around the country. In addition, 50 per cent. of homes provided through the First Time Buyers Initiative, being delivered by English Partnerships, which includes areas outside the South East are also available for key workers.

Secondary information