Written question asked by Grant Shapps (Conservative) on Friday, 20 March 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 24 March 2009. It was answered by Iain Wright (Labour) on Monday, 30 March 2009 on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Local Government Finance

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how much funding her Department has provided to local authorities in social housing grant in each region in each year since 1997;

Answer: The Homes and Communities Agency has not paid social housing grant direct to local authorities and has only had the power to do so since the Housing Act 2004. This allowed organisations other than housing associations to bid for social housing grant the main capital subsidy for new housing. Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMO) have been able to qualify through the pre-qualification process to bid for SHG from April 2008.In September 2008, we announced that we would invite councils to bid to the HCA for social housing grant on the same basis as ALMOs and special purpose vehicles. We are also consulting on changes to council housing finance rules which would allow councils to keep the full income and capital returns on any investment they make in new council housing. The revenue and capital changes would help councils put together viable bids for social housing grant from the HCA. These changes should result in an increase in building by councils.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 490 c976-7W;490 c972-3W; 266472
Session: 2008-09
Related items: Community Relations
Monday, 27 April 2009
Written questions
House of Commons; Council Housing
Monday, 27 April 2009
Written questions
House of Commons; Local Government Finance
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Social rented housing Social housing grant
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk