To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average waiting time was for a council property with disabled access in (a) Leeds and (b) the West Yorkshire region in the latest period for which figures are available. (75490)

[holding answer 7 June 2006]: Information in the form requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what plans she has to (a) build and (b) supply council housing for those with serious disabilities in (i) Leeds and (ii) the West Yorkshire region; (75491)

[holding answer 7 June 2006]: We have a duty to deliver housing appropriate to the needs of those with serious disabilities. Housing Associations are now the main providers of new social housing. Regional Housing Boards recommend the allocation of resources to deliver regional and sub-regional priorities identified in Regional Housing Strategies. The Housing Corporation has invested £3.3 million for 54 new supported housing units in West Yorkshire between 2004-06. For the period 2006-08, £4.2 million has been allocated to provide 95 new supported housing units in West Yorkshire.

In addition, Leeds are delivering through the private finance initiative high-quality accommodation and support services for people with learning disabilities. In addition to specialist provision, we continue to enable people with serious disabilities to live in their own homes if they wish to do so, with the appropriate level of care. Council housing adaptations are resourced through Council's Housing Revenue Account, or from other financial resources available to the local authority. Local authority tenants are statutorily entitled to assistance under the Disabled Facilities Grant programme but the present financial arrangements preclude the ODPM ring fenced fund being used for the provision of such adaptations for LA tenants. In the private sector, each year around 30,000 applicants benefit from a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), which since 1997 has increased from £57 million to £103 million in 2005-06. Leeds allocation for 2006-07 is £1.5 million, a 37 per cent. increase. Provision for suitable accommodation will also be increased through our decision to implement the Lifetime Homes Standard through the new Code for Sustainable Homes.

I also understand that Leeds city council is preparing a Disability Housing Strategy and a Learning Disabilities Strategy (Valuing People), which will set out the approach that the authority needs to take in future years for provision of new housing which meets the needs of the seriously disabled in our communities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people with serious disabilities are on the waiting list for council housing in (a) Leeds and (b) the West Yorkshire region. (75496)

Information in the form requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.