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Housing Conditions

Volume 226: debated on Monday 7 June 1993

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To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the full survey of the condition of Scottish housing by Scottish Homes to be published.

Scottish Homes plans to publish the main report of the Scottish house condition survey before the summer recess.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will meet the federation of tenants in Glasgow to discuss the findings of the 1993 house condition survey.

The main survey report on the Scottish house condition survey will be available from Scottish Homes before the summer recess, while publication of a special report covering Glasgow is planned for later this year. The Glasgow Council of Tenants' Associations may wish to consider these reports once they are published and to discuss them with the Glasgow district council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make additional finance available to public sector landlords who have identified major dampness or condensation problems through the house condition survey;(2) if he will consider additional help to public sector tenants who are required to live in difficult to heat damp houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make additional finance available to those public sector landlords where the house condition survey has identified major dampness or condensation problems; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make additional finance available to public sector landlords who have identified major dampness or condensation problems through the house condition survey;(2) if he will consider additional help to public sector tenants who live in difficult to heat, damp houses.

Very substantial resources totalling some £900 million have been made available to local authorities, Scottish Homes and new town development corporations for capital investment in housing in 1993–94. Under the new system of local authority housing plans and housing capital programmes launched on 30 April, all authorities have been asked to assess their overall housing needs and draw up strategies and targets for tackling houses subject to condensation and dampness in their areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will request Scottish Homes to prioritise part of its annual budget towards assisting landlords and tenants with capital works.

It is part of Scottish Homes' aim to ensure that the quality of housing in Scotland is substantially improved. In approving Scottish Homes investment programme for any year, my right hon. Friend agrees the amounts which Scottish Homes will spend on particular priorities. The allocation of funds to specific geographical areas and projects is then a matter for Scottish Homes. Scottish Homes' total investment programme in 1993–94 will be £372·5 million of which £277·8 million will be made directly available for capital works on rented housing owned by housing associations, other approved landlords and Scottish Homes own stock.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will request Scottish Homes to prioritise part of its annual budget towards assisting landlords and tenants with capital works to counter dampness and condensation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of Scottish Homes' capital budget will be spent in each of the next five years on dampness and condensation; and what plans he has to increase the sums involved.

Scottish Homes is committed to improving the quality of Scotland's housing. In 1993–94 through its record investment programme of £372·5 million Scottish Homes will give particular priority to improving the condition of Scotland's housing stock. Priority will be given to projects which will eliminate or replace housing declared as below tolerable standard, and Scottish Homes will also, through its substantial investment in housing associations, other approved landlords and in its own stock, support improvement works which will help counter and eradicate dampness and condensation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will meet the Glasgow Council of Tenants' Associations to discuss dampness in the city's housing stock.

I have no plans for such a meeting. Investment in council housing to tackle dampness is a matter for Glasgow district council in the light of its own view of priorities within the substantial housing capital allocations made available to the council.