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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 22 March 2000
ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS
Tenant Subsidies
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the average annual subsidy per tenant, taking into account housing benefits and capital grants paid by the Exchequer, to (a) council tenants and (b) tenants of registered social landlords, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [114719]
Mr. Mullin: Table 1 shows the information that is available on the level of Exchequer support for tenants of local authorities and of registered social landlords (RSLs), but the information does not allow a direct comparison between the two sectors. The table shows the Exchequer subsidy which is paid to local authorities in respect of their tenants as Housing Revenue Account subsidy, and the Housing Benefit paid to tenants of RSLs.
| Average per dwelling of Housing Element and Rent Rebate subsidy paid to local authorities | Average gross expenditure on rent allowances for tenants of registered social landlords | |
|---|---|---|
| 1990-91 | 922 | -- |
| 1991-92 | 964 | -- |
| 1992-93 | 1,044 | -- |
| 1993-94 | 1,100 | 1,222 |
| 1994-95 | 1,145 | 1,430 |
| 1995-96 | 1,146 | 1,640 |
| 1996-97 | 1,173 | 1,825 |
| 1997-98 | 1,140 | 1,892 |
| 1998-99 | 1,078 | 1,977 |
Notes:
1. The figures are averages per dwelling.
2. Local authority information is derived from subsidy claim forms, and shows the sum of Housing Element and Rent Rebate subsidy.
3. For registered social landlords, estimates derived from quarterly and annual statistical returns, and annual subsidy claim forms, from local authorities.
4. Information on average gross expenditure for registered social landlords is not available before 1993-94.
5. England only
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| Year | |
|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 2,351 |
| 1993-94 | 1,810 |
| 1994-95 | 1,484 |
| 1995-96 | 1,142 |
| 1996-97 | 1,044 |
| 1998-99 | 684 |
| 1998-99 | 607 |
Notes:
1. Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme is the main component of the Social Housing Grant. RSLs bid for capital grants from the ADP to develop new social housing, with rents at sub-market levels.
2. Figures taken from Housing Corporation Stewardship Reports. Reliable information is only available from 1992-93.
3. England only
Rail Safety
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many of the directors of the safety company subsidiary of Railtrack will have a background in an industry other than railways; what will be the composition of the board; what arrangements have been made for funding the company; and to what extent he has been consulted on the appointments of directors; [114833]
- (2) what talks he has held with the board and Chief Executive of Railtrack since the announcement of their decision to create a separate subsidiary safety company; what timetable is proposed for its establishment; who is to be its Chief Executive, to whom the board will report; and who are its members. [114834]
Mr. Hill: Work to establish the company is being overseen by a committee chaired by a senior DETR official on which Railtrack are represented at board level.
The composition and arrangements for the appointment of the board of the safety subsidiary and its funding arrangements are matters for the Rail Regulator and the Health and Safety Commission to consider when taking forward changes to Regulations and to Railtrack's network licence, which are subject to public consultation procedures.
Empty Properties
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if there is a centrally held list of empty properties owned by housing associations; and if so how many (a) have been empty for under six months, (b) have been empty for under one year and (c) have been empty over a year; [114801]
- (2) how many properties owned by housing associations have been empty for (a) under six months, (b) under one year and (c) over one year. [114800]
Mr. Mullin:
A centrally held list of properties owned by housing associations does not exist.
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The Housing Corporation is the regulatory body for housing associations (also referred to as registered social landlords--RSLs). The Corporation keeps various details about stock owned/managed by RSLs (from the annual Regulatory and Statistical Return and other returns), but this does not include a list of property addresses.
The RSLs themselves maintain records of all their properties in order that they can manage their properties to the standards set down by the Corporation--and to provide information for audit purposes.
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The performance standards laid down by the Corporation include some that cover the control of empty properties. For instance, no more than two per cent. of properties under management should be empty at any time.
The overall RSL vacancy rate is not monitored continuously, so the current situation is not known. However, as a guide, the table shows the vacancy rates as at 31 March in 1998 and 1999--and how many vacant units had been empty for less than six months, for between six months and a year and for more than a year.
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| At March 31 each year | Available for letting | Percentage | Not available for letting | Percentage | Total vacancies | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacancies in 1998 | ||||||
| Less than 6 months | 13,547 | 88 | 6,049 | 47 | 19,596 | 69 |
| 6 months to 1 year | 1,043 | 7 | 2,908 | 23 | 3,951 | 14 |
| More than a year | 782 | 5 | 3,874 | 30 | 4,656 | 17 |
| Total | 15,372 | 100 | 12,831 | 100 | 28,203 | 100 |
| Vacancies in 1999 | ||||||
| Less than 6 months | 15,143 | 88 | 7,852 | 53 | 22,995 | 72 |
| 6 months to 1 year | 1,156 | 7 | 2,504 | 17 | 3,660 | 11 |
| More than a year | 863 | 5 | 4,514 | 30 | 5,377 | 17 |
| Total | 17,162 | 100 | 14,870 | 100 | 32,032 | 100 |
Sources:
Profile of the RSL Sector, 1998 (Table 3.9), published by the Housing Corporation
Profile of the RSL Sector, 1999 (provisional draft of table 3.9)--unpublished but due to be published during 2000 by the Housing Corporation
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Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the number of empty council-owned properties in each local authority; [114799]
- (2) if there is a centrally held database on the amount of council-owned empty property. [114798]
Mr. Mullin: Local authorities in England provide information on the number of vacant dwellings in their ownership as part of their annual Housing Investment Programme submission to the Department. The latest available information, as reported by local authorities on their 1999 HIP returns, is on a computerised dataset available in the Library.
A level of vacancy is a usual feature of housing management, reflecting turnover and movement within the stock. There is likely to be some variation in the proportion of dwellings that are vacant in a local authority from one date to another during the year.
Homelessness
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people are registered on each local authority list as homeless. [114769]
Mr. Mullin:
Homeless households accepted by local authorities are those which, after investigation, were found to be eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need under part VII of the Housing Act 1996. The latest available information is given in the table.
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Notes:
1. n/a indicates the authority did not provide a return.
2. Figures reported may include a small number of residual cases eligible under 1985 Housing Act.
Source:
DETR quarterly P1(E) returns
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