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Column 456

Jones, Gwilym (Cardiff N)

Kennedy, Charles

King, Roger (B'ham N'thfield)

Kirkhope, Timothy

Lang, Ian

Lawrence, Ivan

Leigh, Edward (Gainsbor'gh)

Lloyd, Peter (Fareham)

Lloyd, Tony (Stretford)

Lyell, Rt Hon Sir Nicholas

McAvoy, Thomas

MacGregor, Rt Hon John

McKay, Allen (Barnsley West)

MacKay, Andrew (E Berkshire)

Maclean, David

McLoughlin, Patrick

Mans, Keith

Maples, John

Marshall, John (Hendon S)

Mawhinney, Dr Brian

Meale, Alan

Mitchell, Andrew (Gedling)

Moonie, Dr Lewis

Morley, Elliot

Morrison, Rt Hon P (Chester)

Moynihan, Hon Colin

Nellist, Dave

Neubert, Michael

Nicholls, Patrick

Nicholson, David (Taunton)

Norris, Steve

Oppenheim, Phillip

Paice, James

Parkinson, Rt Hon Cecil

Patchett, Terry

Patten, Rt Hon John

Pattie, Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey

Pike, Peter L.

Portillo, Michael

Powell, Ray (Ogmore)

Redwood, John

Rees, Rt Hon Merlyn

Renton, Rt Hon Tim

Ridley, Rt Hon Nicholas

Roberts, Wyn (Conwy)

Roe, Mrs Marion

Ross, William (Londonderry E)

Rowlands, Ted

Skinner, Dennis

Smyth, Rev Martin (Belfast S)

Spicer, Michael (S Worcs)

Steen, Anthony

Steinberg, Gerry

Stevens, Lewis

Stewart, Andy (Sherwood)

Sumberg, David

Taylor, Ian (Esher)

Taylor, Teddy (S'end E)

Thorne, Neil

Trippier, David

Vaz, Keith

Wallace, James

Waller, Gary

Wareing, Robert N.

Watson, Mike (Glasgow, C)

Wheeler, Sir John

Widdecombe, Ann

Williams, Rt Hon Alan

Winnick, David

Wood, Timothy

Yeo, Tim

Tellers for the Ayes :

Mr. Sydney Chapman and

Mr. Irvine Patnick.

NOES

Campbell, Menzies (Fife NE)

Hamilton, Neil (Tatton)

Illsley, Eric

Maclennan, Robert

Maxwell-Hyslop, Robin

Stanbrook, Ivor

Stokes, Sir John

Townsend, Cyril D. (B'heath)

Winterton, Mrs Ann

Winterton, Nicholas

Tellers for the Noes :

Mr. Michael Irvine and

Mr. Nicholas Bennett.

Question accordingly agreed to.

Bill read the Third time, and passed.

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Column 457

Homelessness (Leicester)

Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.-- [Mr. Nicholas Baker.]

12.40 am

Mr. Keith Vaz (Leicester, East) : I understand that this is the first time that the House has debated homelessness in Leicestershire, but because of my constituency interest I have decided to concentrate on the city of Leicester and the crisis of housing in it. In my weekly surgeries, whether they be in Northfields, Netherhall, Thurnby Lodge, Goodwood, Evington, Coleman, Belgrave or Rushy Mead, one issue dominates the work of my constituency--the problem of housing. It is a fundamental right of every citizen of Leicester to have a home that is warm, dry, decent and affordable. It is clear from statistics that that fundamental right is being breached every minute of every day for thousands of people who live in Leicester. The debate is not only about statistics but about the human misery lying behind the crisis of housing. It causes anguish and despair. Men and women who have visited my surgery have wept openly because they cannot get a council house or be transferred to another. People have literally gone down on their knees and begged me to do something to alleviate the overcrowded and damp conditions in which they live. Letters, petitions and phone calls have been made to my staff, with appeals of such desperation that it is impossible not to be moved and to become emotional about their plight. The blame for that trauma lies with the Government. On an evening when we have discussed war crimes, in the war against homelessness the Government's inaction borders on the criminal.

The sickness that the housing crisis creates manifests itself in the breakdown of family life and in some cases leads to divorce, illness, abuse, violence and intolerable stress. It plagues parents and children and delivers them into a world of desperation and unhappiness.

I thank Leicester city council for the work that it does and acknowledge the assistance that I have received from Councillors Surinder Sharmar and David Brazier in my preparation for this debate. In addition, three officers, John Perry, Phil Howard and Christine Laird, have provided valuable assistance. I want to pay tribute to all who work in the sector and have the agonising task of allocating property, in particular Peter Jones and the Humberstone area office, who cope not only with diminishing resources but a Member of Parliament who demands everything yesterday. I make no apology for being over-zealous in protecting my constituents.

Leicester faces a severe housing crisis as a result of Government policies, which have systematically discriminated against the public sector provision of housing. There are over 11,000 applicants on the council's housing waiting list, many of whom face a wait of many years for properties in the areas of their choice. The number of vacancies is 30 per cent. lower than 12 months ago. There are significant parts of the city where no waiting list applicant has been rehoused over the past year. In many parts of the city, turnover rates are far lowr than required to service the waiting and transfer lists. The average stay for a tenant is now 25 years. Turnover rates are particularly low for three and four-bedroom properties ; the average stay for a tenant of such a property is 27 years.

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Column 458

The lack of property to meet demand throughout most of the city is a clear sign of the combined effects of the Government's right-to-buy policy and the low level of activity in the private sector because of high interest rates. Over 20 per cent. of the city council's housing stock has been lost through the right to buy. That represents 9,000 dwellings. Conversely, high interest rates are producing additional demand on council stock because of the increased number of mortgage repossessions and owner-occupiers selling their properties because they can no longer afford mortgage payments.

The crisis in housing is particularly reflected in a marked increase in homelessness. An average of 57 cases per month are now being accepted--an increase of 32 per cent. on last year. That increase in activity is reflected in a commensurate rise in the average number of interviews carried out by the homeless and hostel section of the city council, which currently stands at 750 a month. Changes in the benefits system, including for people in board and lodgings and hostel dwellers, have helped to fuel the crisis. For council tenants, they have also contributed to a major increase in rent arrears.

There are simply not enough properties to go around. The Leicester structure plan proposed that 17,400 properties should be built between 1981 and 1986, an average of 1,160 a year. Only 323 completions were made from all sectors in 1988-89, making a total of 4,033 from 1981 to 1989. Due to financial restrictions placed on the city council by the Government, there has been no new build programme for the past four years, although the council is making major efforts to facilitate the provision of social housing by other agencies. The condition of properties is also a major cause for concern, with 1,975 estate and 650 acquired properties that remain unmodernised. Parts of my constituency, particularly the Northfields estate, are a prime example. It would cost over £11 million to refurbish the estate properties on an elemental basis. Full modernisation would cost over £37 million.

Housing renewal is just as bleak. Nearly 3 million houses are in unsatisfactory condition, by the Government's own standards--15 per cent. of the entire housing stock. There has been hardly any improvement since 1981 in the number of properties in serious disrepair. Over half the properties in poor condition are owner-occupied, often by people on low incomes who are least likely to do repair work. Any increased help through improvement grants must be set against the declining spending power of the poorest 20 per cent. of wage earners who increasingly cannot afford mortgage and repair costs. Private landlords are failing to invest in older housing. On average, privately rented property has twice as much outstanding repair work as other property, despite deregulation of rents.

The new means test for improvement grants which has been initiated by the Government will be far too harsh on people with modest incomes. It will not help those on the Norton estate who have been seeking to modernise their properties. At present rates of clearance, houses that are unfit now will still be awaiting replacement in 100 years' time. The Government have failed to grasp the need for more incentives to facilitate clearance of the worst housing by giving adequate compensation to dispossessed householders.

The Conservative-controlled Association of District Councils assesses the backlog of disrepair in England to be

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