Written question asked by Bob Ainsworth (Labour), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 22 January 1997. It was answered by James Clappison (Conservative) on Wednesday, 22 January 1997 on behalf of the Department of the Environment.

Dept of the Environment

Question: If he will comment on Her Majesty's Government's policy for reducing the number of sub-standard homes. - Including figures.

Answer: Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy for reducing the number of sub-standard homes. [11772] Mr. Clappison: Between 1986 and 1991, the number of unfit dwellings in England fell by 10 per cent. to 1.5 million. Of these, 62 per cent. needed less than £2,000 of work to make them fit, the majority being owner-occupied. The Government are investing, through the housing investment programme, to help local authorities maintain their stock, promoting the transfer of local authority stock to not-for-profit private landlords such as local housing companies, encouraging housing associations to buy up and repair run-down stock and providing renovation grants to help private owners make improvements to their homes--in 1995-96 £450 million was spent on 95,000 such grants.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 11772; 288 c646W
Session: 1996-97
Subjects: Housing Grants Housing improvement Property transfer Public sector Standards Repairs and maintenance
Contains statistics: Yes