asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to alter the criteria for qualifications as unfit under the next national Department of the Environmental housing survey; and if he will make a statement.

The 1986 English house condition survey will be designed to allow comparability with the results of the 1981 survey and it will measure stock condition against the same standard of fitness. We also hope to assess the effect of any revised fitness standard which may be adopted following current consultation on the proposals in the Green Paper on improvement policy, Cmnd. 9513.