To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby of 17 December 2007, Official Report, columns 1140-1W, on housing: finance, for what reasons her Department's capital investment in (a) council-owned housing stock and (b) home ownership schemes in relation to housing associations was less in 2006-07 than in each of the previous three years. (182177)

The overall investment in housing has increased year on year up to and including 2006-07. There are a number of reasons why there was a reduction in the level of capital investment in council owned stock in 2006-07: reduced stock numbers; a separation of monies for private sector renewal from the funding stream that previously combined this funding with that for council housing stock; and the recommendations of regional assemblies on the allocation of available resources for new build affordable housing (including low cost home ownership schemes) and investment in existing stock.