asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the English house condition survey.

The survey is being published today and copies have been placed in the Library of both Houses and in the Vote Office. The results of the survey as they affect dwellings lacking amenities, dwellings that are unfit, and dwellings that are in substantial disrepair can be summarised as follows:

There has been a significant reduction in the number of dwellings lacking basic amenities from 2·8 million in 1971 to 1·5 million in 1976 to 0·9 million in 1981. The proportion of the dwellings in owner occupation that lack one or more basic amenities has fallen by over two-thirds from 11 per cent. in 1971 to 3 per cent. in 1981. A similar proportionate fall occurred in the private rented and local authority sectors. The greatest progress with respect to basic amenities has been made in the north.

The number of unfit dwellings has remained relatively constant at between 1·1 and 1·2 million. The northern regions have seen a substantial improvement from the past high level; the South-East, including London, has seen a deterioration and the rest of the country some lesser improvement.

The number of dwellings with high repair costs—over £7,000 at 1981 prices—has increased between 1976 and 1981 following no discernible change between 1971 and 1976. In total, the number of dwellings in serious disrepair increased by about 200,000 between 1976 and 1981 and represented an increase of 22 per cent. on the 1976 figure. Over the decade 1971–81 the number of dwellings in serious disrepair decreased in the north of England by 9 per cent., increased in the South-East by 82 per cent. and increased in the rest of England by 16 per cent.

The Government have taken a number of steps to increase improvement grant activity. There is a very significant rise taking place in the number of improvement grants paid which, in the third quarter of this year, were the highest since 1974. To deal specifically with the problem of disrepair the Government have taken the following measures: