Previous Section Index Home Page


Disability Access

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps the Government are taking to improve disability access; and if he will make a statement. [68531]

Mr. McNulty: My officials, with the assistance of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, have been preparing proposals for amendments to Part M of the Building Regulations relating to access for disabled people. I expect to make an announcement before the summer recess about publication of the proposals for public consultation.

11 Jul 2002 : Column 1154W

Empty Properties

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of domestic properties in England left empty for (a) six to 12 months and (b) more than a year since 1997. [68329]

Mr. McNulty: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Data for local authority (LA), Registered Social Landlord (RSL) and 'other' private sector tenures is available and shown in the tables. Length of time 'other' public sector dwellings are vacant is not collected centrally.

Table 1: Number of LA vacant dwellings in England at 1 April

All vacantsVacant more than 6 months and less than 12 monthsVacant more than 12 months
200180,30011,10020,400
200087,20011,70021,500
199983,90010,60018,100
199881,70010,60016,000
199781,2009,40013,000

Table 2: Number of RSL vacant dwellings in England at 1 April

All vacantsVacant more than 6 months and less than 12 monthsVacant more than 12 months
200141,3005,1009,800
200037,5005,1007,200
199932,6003,8005,500
199829,3004,1004,800
199726,800(12)(12)

(12) Not applicable


Data for 'other' private sector vacant dwellings are not collected in exactly the same format as for LA and RSL dwellings. Only data on dwellings vacant for more than six to 12 months are collected (as opposed to data on those dwellings vacant for more than six, but less than 12 months).

Table 3: Number of 'other' private sector vacant dwellings in England at 1 April

All vacantsVacant more than 6 monthsVacant more than 12 months
2001622,600310,200(13)
2000623,200278,900201,900
1999637,000(13)212,900
1998623,300(13)220,100
1997640,200(13)233,300

(13) Not available

Notes:

1. Figures rounded to the nearest 100.

2. There will always be a certain level of empty homes for operational reasons, including those waiting to be demolished or those vacant for very short periods between tenants.

Sources:

ODPM's annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns (Tables 1 and 3) and the Housing Corporation's annual HAR 10 and Regulatory and Statistical Return (RSR) (Table 2)


11 Jul 2002 : Column 1155W

Bed-and-breakfast Accommodation

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the numbers of homeless households in bed-and-breakfast accommodation. [68660]

Mr. McNulty: The latest figures indicate that there are nearly 12,000 households in bed-and-breakfast hotels (B&B) of which an estimated 6,500 are families with children.

In March this year, a £35 million programme was launched to help local authorities ensure that by March 2004 no homeless family with children are in B&B other than in an emergency, and even then for no more than six weeks. On 17 June £25 million was allocated to the 42 local authorities with the highest number of families with children in B&B hotels to help them meet the March 2004 commitment. We will now be working with the next 40 highest using authorities to see how we can help them reduce B&B hotel numbers.

11 Jul 2002 : Column 1156W

Authorities have also been sent a 10-point check list of good practice outlining the key 'building blocks' in reducing B&B use. Regional seminars have been held and examples of good practice have been shared through a newsletter and via the ODPM website at: www.housing.odpm.gov.uk/bbu/ news/pdf/news0302.pdf.

In addition, all local authorities will benefit from recent changes to housing benefit subsidy levels, worth an estimated £10 million, which provide an incentive to lease private sector homes as a better quality alternative to B&Bs.

New Homes

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homes have been newly built in each of the last five years, broken down by region. [68539]

Mr. McNulty: The numbers of homes newly built in each of the last five years, broken down by region, are shown in the table.

Thousands

Government office region
Financial yearNorth EastNorth WestYorkshire and the HumberEast MidlandsWest MidlandsEastLondonSouth EastSouth WestEngland
1997–987.619.215.514.613.421.313.625.419.0149.6
1998–996.719.013.114.714.019.912.923.315.9138.6
1999–20007.418.913.416.415.318.712.523.215.9141.8
2000–016.819.713.413.613.916.214.222.015.0134.7
2001–02(14)6.316.713.113.913.315.513.821.815.4129.9

(14) Provisional


Social Housing

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list for each English housing authority the level of (a) investment in new council housing and (b) public financial support through the Housing Corporation for the last five years. [68617]

Mr. McNulty: The table provides figures for total expenditure on new council housing and funding provided through the Housing Corporation in England. I am arranging for a table setting out the figures for individual local authorities to be placed in the Library.

Support from Housing Corporation through:
Local authority new build(15)Approved Development ProgrammeLocal authority Social Housing Grant
1997–9845.1683.4363.1
1998–9944.2606.4334.6
1999–200048.4638.1327.7
2000–0121.5717.0399.9
2001/02(16)774.5410.4

(15) Figures for 1997–98 to 1999–2000 include acquisitions of dwellings

(16) Not available


Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) council and (b) RSL dwellings there were at the latest available date in each constituency. [68614]

Mr. McNulty: Latest available information as reported by local authorities in England on their annual Housing Investment Programme returns, is presented in the table. Figures relate to stock within each local authority's geographical administrative area.

Dwelling stock owned by local authorities and registered social landlords in England: 2001

Local/unitary authority RegionLA(17)RSL(18)
AdurSE2,965687
AllerdaleNW49,110
AlnwickNE2,139617
Amber ValleyEM6,0761,333
ArunSE3,7151,983
AshfieldEM8,3951,157
AshfordSE5,9791,122
Aylesbury ValeSE8,198977
BaberghE3,870968
Barking and DagenhamL22,9021,936
BarnetL12,0295,332
BarnsleyYH24,7011,815
Barrow-in-FurnessNW3,462608
BasildonE12,5074,653
Basingstoke and DeaneSE011,004
BassetlawEM8,360771
Bath and North East SomersetSW011,283
BedfordE010,117
Berwick-upon-TweedNE2,351229
BexleyL013,249
BirminghamWM85,51633,618
BlabyEM2,431577
Blackburn with DarwenNW2523,050
BlackpoolNW6,1721,278
Blyth ValleyNE7,8461,873
BolsoverEM6,241850
BoltonNW21,7496,170
BostonEM35,143
BournemouthSW5,4212,366
Bracknell ForestSE6,2571,610
BradfordYH26,1979,259
BraintreeE9,1271,304
BrecklandE28,095
BrentL10,80111,563
BrentwoodE3,050534
BridgnorthWM2,610430
Brighton and HoveSE13,1794,674
BristolSW32,2428,109
BroadlandE04,262
BromleyL017,377
BromsgroveWM3,417503
BroxbourneE3,675869
BroxtoweEM5,124922
BurnleyNW06,653
BuryNW9,3273,992
CalderdaleYH015,583
CambridgeE8,2373,035
CamdenL26,7978,153
Cannock ChaseWM6,6751,158
CanterburySE5,5921,498
CaradonSW3,827570
CarlisleNW8,0102,673
CarrickSW4,012894
Castle MorpethNE2,874334
Castle PointE1,686383
CharnwoodEM6,4761,741
ChelmsfordE7,0541,882
CheltenhamSW5,3491,550
CherwellSE4,0722,527
ChesterNW08,000
ChesterfieldEM11,2461,260
Chester-le-StreetNE5,529353
ChichesterSE2496,859
ChilternSE04,585
ChorleyNW3,3932,931
ChristchurchSW02,280
City of LondonL475231
ColchesterE6,9762,546
CongletonNW04,181
CopelandNW4,2763,194
CorbyEM6,577655
CotswoldSW05,044
CoventryWM025,450
CravenYH1,647593
CrawleySE9,0271,372
Crewe and NantwichNW6,317981
CroydonL15,2338,106
DacorumE11,4171,942
DarlingtonNE6,5001,708
DartfordSE4,780935
DaventryEM3,4691,090
DerbyEM15,5286,479
Derbyshire DalesEM3,287346
DerwentsideNE9,0751,037
DoncasterYH26,8452,154
DoverSE5,1821,841
DudleyWM27,2793,283
DurhamNE7,5501,333
EalingL14,6608,018
EasingtonNE12,2971,701
East CambridgeshireE04,394
East DevonSW4,5061,193
East DorsetSW02,900
East HampshireSE04,863
East HertfordshireE6,0291,212
East LindseyEM06,116
East NorthamptonshireEM04,836
East Riding of YorkshireYH12,4741,896
East StaffordshireWM06,659
EastbourneSE4,1662,015
EastleighSE05,697
EdenNW0768
Ellesmere Port and NestonNW6,906646
ElmbridgeSE05,354
EnfieldL13,1835,074
Epping ForestE7,0881,134
Epsom and EwellSE02,145
ErewashEM6,066827
ExeterSW5,5982,827
FarehamSE2,646764
FenlandE4,180804
Forest HeathE2,933546
Forest of DeanSW3,874841
FyldeNW02,299
GatesheadNE26,1654,222
GedlingEM3,8391,346
GloucesterSW5,0381,544
GosportSE3,9391,855
GraveshamSE6,579667
Great YarmouthE6,8461,024
GreenwichL27,5959,308
GuildfordSE5,8581,367
HackneyL28,36418,449
HaltonNW7,3798,374
HambletonYH04,549
Hammersmith and FulhamL14,42110,941
HarboroughEM2,413459
HaringeyL18,9088,892
HarlowE11,0141,075
HarrogateYH4,3161,681
HarrowL5,9292,257
HartSE12,591
HartlepoolNE8,3382,751
HastingsSE76,006
HavantSE04,550
HaveringL12,0041,613
HerefordshireWM5,9744,959
HertsmereE06,401
High PeakEM4,641861
HillingdonL11,5743,944
Hinckley and BosworthEM3,6021,065
HorshamSE416,077
HounslowL15,0695,188
HuntingdonshireE08,627
HyndburnNW3,7741,376
IpswichE9,1172,982
Isle of WightSE06,112
Isles of ScillySW13032
IslingtonL31,40110,635
KennetSW05,810
Kensington and ChelseaL7,16711,910
KerrierSW04,797
KetteringEM4,342926
Kings Lynn and West NorfolkE7,8461,639
Kingston upon HullYH35,1536,280
Kingston upon ThamesL5,1381,629
KirkleesYH28,2694,420
KnowsleyNW18,2834,535
LambethL35,68716,424
LancasterNW4,2851,906
LeedsYH69,92513,740
LeicesterEM25,8378,801
LewesSE3,5331,124
LewishamL31,3788,686
LichfieldWM05,381
LincolnEM8,8031,005
LiverpoolNW35,85932,259
LutonE9,3102,784
MacclesfieldNW5,9251,916
MaidstoneSE6,7311,042
MaldonE02,864
Malvern HillsWM04,280
ManchesterNW53,05425,059
MansfieldEM8,2281,952
MeltonEM2,040359
MendipSW05,589
MertonL7,0463,875
Mid BedfordshireE3,1844,155
Mid DevonSW3,452748
Mid SuffolkE3,762721
Mid SussexSE05,502
MiddlesbroughNE13,9044,412
Milton KeynesSE13,3965,626
Mole ValleySE3,726646
New ForestSE5,2932,184
Newark and SherwoodEM6,1251,642
Newcastle upon TyneNE35,2806,709
Newcastle-under-LymeWM010,811
NewhamL23,1439,134
North CornwallSW3,632975
North DevonSW04,207
North DorsetSW03,546
North East DerbyshireEM9,344477
North East LincolnshireYH9,2641,854
North HertfordshireE8,6561,767
North KestevenEM4,208516
North LincolnshireYH11,1231,087
North NorfolkE5,1461,007
North ShropshireWM2,622547
North SomersetSW6,6751,579
North TynesideNE20,1514,653
North WarwickshireWM3,406686
North West LeicestershireEM5,0841,274
North WiltshireSW06,607
NorthamptonEM14,2052,146
NorwichE18,2062,972
Nottingham CityEM34,7928,778
Nuneaton and BedworthWM7,1281,230
Oadby and WigstonEM1,391386
OldhamNW18,8185,007
OswestryWM2,166411
OxfordSE8,2112,931
PendleNW4,0241,178
PenwithSW04,026
PeterboroughE11,3004,008
PlymouthSW17,5065,972
PooleSW4,8601,886
PortsmouthSE11,2853,854
PrestonNW7,6785,258
PurbeckSW1,660665
ReadingSE7,6092,922
RedbridgeL5,3443,014
Redcar and ClevelandNE12,1092,087
RedditchWM7,1321,131
Reigate and BansteadSE4,8591,271
RestormelSW04,167
Ribble ValleyNW1,343454
Richmond upon ThamesL09,249
RichmondshireYH1,925248
RochdaleNW16,8315,268
RochfordE1,906871
RossendaleNW4,650856
RotherSE03,943
RotherhamYH27,4893,188
RugbyWM4,3421,548
RunnymedeSE3,268637
RushcliffeEM3,622551
RushmoorSE05,372
RutlandEM1,340234
RyedaleYH22,752
SalfordNW30,1196,070
SalisburySW5,7031,497
SandwellWM37,6234,854
ScarboroughYH5,2211,590
SedgefieldNE10,5971,339
SedgemoorSW4,5581,634
SeftonNW13,5466,866
SelbyYH3,673861
SevenoaksSE06,310
SheffieldYH63,1738,398
ShepwaySE3,7931,422
Shrewsbury and AtchamWM5,593745
SloughSE7,7582,314
SolihullWM12,1531,574
South BedfordshireE5,7101,307
South BuckinghamshireSE153,264
South CambridgeshireE6,0671,083
South DerbyshireEM3,712496
South GloucestershireSW8,4732,252
South HamsSW163,934
South HollandEM4,242442
South KestevenEM7,182793
South LakelandNW3,706858
South NorfolkE4,5561,105
South NorthamptonshireEM3,076469
South OxfordshireSE06,010
South RibbleNW05,029
South ShropshireWM162,124
South SomersetSW09,694
South StaffordshireWM06,173
South TynesideNE22,7314,000
SouthamptonSE18,4864,588
Southend-on-SeaE6,5792,592
SouthwarkL48,99911,797
SpelthorneSE04,862
St. AlbansE5,6641,299
St. EdmundsburyE6,2781,182
St. HelensNW15,0873,849
StaffordWM6,3611,268
Staffordshire MoorlandsWM03,727
StevenageE9,5331,222
StockportNW13,3054,425
Stockton-on-TeesNE14,0493,080
Stoke-on-TrentWM22,3295,908
Stratford-on-AvonWM06,377
StroudSW5,579972
Suffolk CoastalE325,986
SunderlandNE039,663
Surrey HeathSE03,000
SuttonL8,9343,023
SwaleSE07,577
SwindonSW11,4882,916
TamesideNW020,574
TamworthWM5,5221,213
TandridgeSE2,885487
Taunton DeaneSW6,6721,293
TeesdaleNE1,026546
TeignbridgeSW3,771944
Telford and WrekinWM014,886
TendringE3,5471,943
Test ValleySE256,239
TewkesburySW03,919
ThanetSE3,5394,028
The Medway TownsSE3,3643,270
Three RiversE4,180875
ThurrockE11,0461,191
Tonbridge and MallingSE06,988
TorbaySW04,498
TorridgeSW1,810555
Tower HamletsL27,04513,527
TraffordNW10,6996,328
Tunbridge WellsSE436,888
TynedaleNE03,808
UttlesfordE3,066703
Vale of White HorseSE115,627
Vale RoyalNW7,1651,160
WakefieldYH36,5593,199
WalsallWM26,9525,548
Waltham ForestL13,4397,450
WandsworthL18,4969,186
WansbeckNE6,883532
WarringtonNW10,7384,667
WarwickWM6,1112,166
WatfordE4,593846
WaveneyE5,2842,194
WaverleySE5,3331,050
WealdenSE3,4051,269
Wear ValleyNE5,8471,335
WellingboroughEM5,259808
Welwyn HatfieldE9,9531,760
West BerkshireSE588,143
West DevonSW01,802
West DorsetSW05,932
West LancashireNW8,067732
West LindseyEM04,320
West OxfordshireSE04,717
West SomersetSW02,220
West WiltshireSW226,205
WestminsterL13,57811,923
Weymouth and PortlandSW03,771
WiganNW26,5902,763
WinchesterSE5,5971,612
Windsor and MaidenheadSE07,265
WirralNW16,2378,150
WokingSE3,6591,070
WokinghamSE2,9411,113
WolverhamptonWM29,4274,970
WorcesterWM5,0591,438
WorthingSE114,139
WychavonWM07,186
WycombeSE6,9461,826
WyreNW03,496
Wyre ForestWM06,717
YorkYH8,7753,389

(17) At 1 April 2001

(18) At 31 March 2001

Note:

Local authority stock is that owned by the authority and within its geographical boundary

Source:

LA stock: ODPM Housing Investment Programme annual returns

RSL stock: Housing Corporation annual Regulatory and Statistical returns


11 Jul 2002 : Column 1162W


Next Section Index Home Page