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19 May 2009 : Column 1352W—continued


The figures do not include sales through HomeBuy Direct or Rent to HomeBuy, which commenced in 2008-09.

The property price figures are based on the total property price, not the amount paid by the purchaser, which could be to purchase a share of the equity in the property.

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average level of support has been under each of the HomeBuy schemes in each region. [272227]

Margaret Beckett: For 2008-09 provisional figures showing the average amount of grant per unit paid through the Homes and Communities Agency’s Affordable Housing Programme for each of the HomeBuy schemes in each region are set out in the following table.

Average level of grant per completed unit
£
English region New build HomeBuy Open market HomeBuy Social HomeBuy Rent to Home B uy

North East

21,590

22,610

9,000

38,810

North West

26,400

23,670

8,900

44,930

Yorkshire and Humberside

29,520

24,420

9,000

38,320

East Midlands

15,650

24,680

22,220

West Midlands

20,810

23,760

7,580

21,160

Eastern

18,240

31,930

13,500

38,770

London

42,650

48,490

12,160

56,320

South East

20,740

32,420

11,650

29,200

South West

14,420

28,620

33,690

England

23,340

28,960

7,980

35,940

Source:
Homes and Communities Agency’s Investment Management System

Provisional figures indicate that there have been no homes completed under the HomeBuy Direct scheme in 2008-09.

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) first-time and (b) key worker buyers have purchased a share of a property via (i) HomeBuy Direct, (ii) OwnHome, (iii) OpenMarket HomeBuy, (iv) the First-Time Buyers Initiative, (v) MyChoice HomeBuy, (vi) New Build HomeBuy, (vii) Social HomeBuy and (viii) Rent to HomeBuy since the inception of each scheme. [272817]

Margaret Beckett: The following is a breakdown of purchases from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2009:


19 May 2009 : Column 1353W
Number
Schemes Total purchases Of which : key workers

Open Market Homebuy

11,165

4,117

O f which:

Own Home

799

260

MyChoice

3,123

1,026

New Build Homebuy

36,544

4,159

First Time Buyers Initiative

1,867

291


In addition there have been 306 purchases under Social HomeBuy but we do not collect data on key worker status for Social HomeBuy.

For New Build HomeBuy the table shows completions. Key worker figures are derived from the homes completed in specific Key Worker initiative schemes. It is possible that key workers have also bought homes on standard New Build HomeBuy schemes.

For HomeBuy Direct I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 27 April 2009, Official Report, column 1119W.

There have been no purchases under the Rent to HomeBuy scheme, which became operational in July 2008, and enables potential purchasers to rent a home for up to five years before buying a share.

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average annual income was of a tenant purchasing a (a) registered social landlord and (b) local authority property in each region in each of the last five years. [273400]

Mr. Iain Wright: The Department does not collect information on the income of tenants purchasing local authority property.

For average household income of tenants purchasing registered social landlord properties through HomeBuy schemes, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today (PQ 272225).

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average price paid by a tenant purchasing a (a) registered social landlord and (b) local authority property was in each region in each of the last five years. [273406]

Mr. Iain Wright: The following table shows the average price paid by a tenant purchasing a local authority property under the right to buy scheme in England from 2003-04 to 2007-08, by region.

Average price paid (£)
Region 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

North East

20,270

36,020

40,270

45,980

54,140

North West

25,510

30,740

39,630

48,230

53,630

Yorkshire and Humberside

24,100

30,990

41,650

50,280

61,110

East Midlands

35,500

42,540

50,930

60,760

62,970

West Midlands

33,480

46,720

51,960

58,800

60,850

Eastern

58,390

67,170

78,640

87,770

103,160

London

80,570

91,120

107,620

125,960

141,260

South East

67,670

77,510

86,960

92,900

102,830

South West

50,670

56,620

64,790

76,630

79,830

England

42,200

51,520

57,910

67,800

78,130

Source:
P1B returns from local authorities to Communities and local Government (CLG).

For the average price paid for registered social landlord properties purchased through HomeBuy schemes, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today, (PQ 272226).


19 May 2009 : Column 1354W

The average price paid figures are the amount paid by the purchaser which could be less than the total purchase price of the property as usually a share of the equity in the property is purchased.

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many social homes have been empty for more than six months in each region in England. [274278]

Mr. Iain Wright: The term “social homes” has been interpreted as social rented dwellings let by local authorities or registered social landlords.

Estimates of the number of social sector domestic dwellings empty for more than six months in each region in England are shown in the following table.

Number of dwellings vacant for more than six months as at April 2008

Local authority Registered social landlord

North East

1,217

2,507

North West

1,788

4,279

Yorkshire and the Humber

2,065

1,583

East Midlands

533

542

West Midlands

912

2,169

East

712

631

London

5,010

2,962

South East

856

1,209

South West

379

859

England

12,895

16,741

Sources:
Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA) and Business Plan Statistical Appendix (BPSA) submitted to Communities and Local Government by local authorities; Regulatory Statistical Return (RSR) as reported to the Housing Corporation by registered social landlords.

Figures for registered social landlords are for self-contained general needs units only and are vacant properties reported as not being available for letting. Not available for letting has been taken as a proxy for properties vacant for six months or longer as this enables the data to be presented at a regional level. Of the total number of RSL properties that have been vacant for at least six months at 31 March 2008, 90 per cent. were recorded as not available for letting.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what targets her Department has set for take up of each Homebuy scheme. [274745]

Margaret Beckett: We have not set individual targets for each HomeBuy scheme to ensure flexibility within the Homes and Communities Agency's Affordable Housing programme 2008-11.

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how frequently local authorities are expected to carry out valuations on social dwellings in relation to (a) Right to Buy and (b) Social Homebuy purchase prices. [274848]

Margaret Beckett: Local authorities are required to provide a valuation when a tenant applies to purchase their home under the Right to Buy or Social HomeBuy schemes. In the case of Social HomeBuy, they must do so when a tenant applies to purchase an initial share and when they subsequently apply to purchase an additional share.


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