To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of long-term empty homes in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex. (125484)

At October 2005 there were an estimated 5,194 long term vacant homes in East Sussex. At October 2005 Eastbourne district council reported a total of 1,568 long-term vacant homes.

These figures are based on long-term vacant homes, empty for more than six months as reported by local authorities in the Council Tax Base return (CTB1).

Local councils in East Sussex now have new powers they can use to bring long-term empty homes into use where appropriate.