To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will encourage the Housing Corporation to direct a higher proportion of its funds to rural areas.

The Housing Corporation's rural programme is being steadily expanded from 1,500 homes this year to 1,850 in 1992–93 and 2,250 in 1993–94. In addition, the corporation has undertaken to make good this year and next a shortfall of over 700 homes against its target for 1990–91.