House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 18 Jan 2002 (pt 2)

Starter Home Initiative

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many people in the Buckingham constituency have benefited from the Starter Home initiative for key public workers; and what is (a) the average amount and (b) the total amount granted. [27778]

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Ms Keeble: The Starter Home initiative allocations announced on 6 September 2001 included a scheme to help 272 key workers across Buckinghamshire. The grant that has been allocated to the scheme over the three years 2001–02 to 2003–04 is £6.988 million, averaging £25,199 grant, and £493 administration costs, per key worker. Separate allocations were made to other schemes to help 20 key workers in Aylesbury Vale and 70 in Milton Keynes.

It is proposed that a further 40 key workers are helped in Buckinghamshire under the bidding arrangements for the Starter Home initiative equity loan scheme announced on 16 January 2002, together with a further 10 in Milton Keynes.

Information on the number of key workers who have purchased homes under the Starter Home initiative scheme during this financial year will be available towards the end of April 2002.

Right to Buy

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many homes in the Buckingham constituency were bought under (a) right to buy and (b) right to acquire in each year since their inception; and what the total revenue is generated under each scheme. [27774]

Ms Keeble: The information is as follows:

(a) Information on Right to Buy sales reported by Aylesbury Vale district council since October 1980 is in the following table. The figures include a small number of RTB shared ownership sales and sales under the Rent to Mortgage scheme in the local authority's area, which includes part of the Aylesbury constituency.

Number Selling price (£000)

1980–81 17 n/a

1981–82 337 ⁽¹⁾3,780

1982–83 404 4,771

1983–84 427 5,772

1984–85 464 7,069

1985–86 395 6,190

1986–87 455 8,415

1987–88 460 10,028

1988–89 491 11,791

1989–90 247 7,048

1990–91 179 4,987

1991–92 159 3,868

1992–93 151 3,191

1993–94 226 5,047

1994–95 176 4,378

1995–96 121 2,917

1996–97 166 4,273

1997–98 216 6,066

1998–99 159 4,972

1999–2000 204 6,831

2000–01 227 9,260

	Number	Selling price (£000)
1980–81	17	n/a
1981–82	337	⁽¹⁾3,780
1982–83	404	4,771
1983–84	427	5,772
1984–85	464	7,069
1985–86	395	6,190
1986–87	455	8,415
1987–88	460	10,028
1988–89	491	11,791
1989–90	247	7,048
1990–91	179	4,987
1991–92	159	3,868
1992–93	151	3,191
1993–94	226	5,047
1994–95	176	4,378
1995–96	121	2,917
1996–97	166	4,273
1997–98	216	6,066
1998–99	159	4,972
1999–2000	204	6,831
2000–01	227	9,260

⁽¹⁾ Estimate

Notes:

1. The total selling price of properties sold under the Right to Buy scheme since April 1981 was £120.65 million. Comparable information for 1980–81 was not collected.

2. The Buckingham constituency is only part of Aylesbury Vale local authority area (albeit the main part) and that part of Aylesbury constituency is also covered within this area. Thus, any houses within the Aylesbury constituency may also be included in the figures.

Source:

DTLR P1 (B) quarterly housing activity returns

18 Jan 2002 : Column 490W

(b) No homes have been bought in Buckinghamshire under right to acquire.

Homeless Households

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many homeless households in the constituency of Buckingham have been resident in bed-and-breakfast accommodation in each year since 1997; and what percentage of them claimed social security benefits in each year. [27770]

Ms Keeble: Information reported by Aylesbury Vale district council on the number of households resident in bed-and-breakfast hotels under statutory homelessness provision at the end of March in each year since 1997 is shown in the table. This relates to households within the local authority's area, which includes part of the Aylesbury constituency. The number of these households claiming, or in receipt of, social security benefits is not collected centrally.

Homeless households resident in bed-and-breakfast accommodation⁽²⁾ as at 31 March

Aylesbury Vale DC

1997 6

1998 11

1999 8

2000 12

2001 5

	Aylesbury Vale DC
1997	6
1998	11
1999	8
2000	12
2001	5

⁽²⁾ Includes households accommodated pending completion of inquiries by the local authority

Source:

DETR P1(E) housing return (quarterly)

Estates Renewal Challenge Fund

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many projects in the Buckingham constituency have received funding from the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund; and if he will list the beneficiaries. [27779]

Ms Keeble: Buckinghamshire received no funding from the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund.

Council Houses

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many council houses have been empty in the Buckingham constituency in each year since 1997. [27773]

Ms Keeble: The number of local authority owned dwellings reported as being vacant in each year since 1997 is as follows:

Local authority owned dwellings in Aylesbury Vale district council area as on 1 April:

Vacant stock

2001 105

2000 131

1999 142

1998 125

1997 118

	Vacant stock
2001	105
2000	131
1999	142
1998	125
1997	118

A level of vacancy is a usual feature of housing management, reflecting turnover and movement within

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the stock. There is likely to be some variation in the proportion of dwellings that are vacant in a local authority from one date to another during the year.

Note that the Buckingham constituency is only part of Aylesbury Vale local authority area (albeit the main part) and that part of Aylesbury constituency is also covered within this area. Thus, any houses within the Aylesbury constituency may also be included in the figures in the table.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many council houses there are in the Buckingham constituency; and how many of these are owned by the local authority. [27829]

Ms Keeble: The number of 'council' houses in the Aylesbury Vale local authority area at March 2001 is 9,621, of which 8,626 are owned by the local authority.

Source:

Aylesbury Vale Housing Revenue Account Business Plan 2001–31

Traveller Sites

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many (a) local authority and (b) private traveller sites there were in the Buckingham constituency in each year since 1997. [27771]

Ms Keeble: The number of local authority traveller sites that were in Aylesbury Vale local authority area in each year since 1997 are shown in the table:

January Number of local authority sites

2001 ⁽³⁾2

2000 ⁽³⁾2

1999 2

1998 ⁽⁴⁾—

1997 ⁽⁴⁾—

January	Number of local authority sites
2001	⁽³⁾2
2000	⁽³⁾2
1999	2
1998	⁽⁴⁾—
1997	⁽⁴⁾—

⁽³⁾ Of which one closed February 1999

⁽⁴⁾ Data for the number of local authority sites in January 1998 and January 1997 is not held within the Department headquarters and is not accessible within the given time scale

Source:

Data from the annual DTLR gipsy return GS2

Figures for the number of private sites are not collected centrally and thus are not available.

Note that the Buckingham constituency is only part of Aylesbury Vale local authority area (although the main part) and that part of Aylesbury constituency is also covered within this area. Thus, any gypsy sites within Aylesbury constituency may also be included in the figures provided.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many traveller caravans and families were on (a) authorised and (b) unauthorised sites in the Buckingham constituency in each year since 1997. [27772]

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Ms Keeble: Figures for the number of caravans and families on authorised and unauthorised sites in the Aylesbury Vale local authority area for each year since 1997 are reported in the table.

Caravans Families

Total

July 2001 39 32

January 2001 28 26

July 2000 30 20

January 2000 35 31

July 1999 33 27

January 1999 35 25

July 1998 40 30

January 1998 32 25

July 1997 48 39

January 1997 37 26

Unauthorised encampments

July 2001 19 14

January 2001 8 8

July 2000 13 4

January 2000 16 15

July 1999 19 16

January 1999 9 3

July 1998 9 7

January 1998 2 1

July 1997 16 ⁽⁵⁾15

January 1997 8 4

Authorised sites:

Council

July 2001 5 5

January 2001 5 5

July 2000 4 4

January 2000 6 4

July 1999 3 0

January 1999 15 11

July 1998 20 12

January 1998 19 13

July 1997 21 13

January 1997 18 11

Private

July 2001 15 13

January 2001 15 13

July 2000 13 12

January 2000 13 12

July 1999 11 11

January 1999 11 11

July 1998 11 ⁽⁵⁾11

January 1998 11 ⁽⁵⁾11

July 1997 11 ⁽⁵⁾11

January 1997 11 ⁽⁵⁾11

	Caravans	Families
Total
July 2001	39	32
January 2001	28	26
July 2000	30	20
January 2000	35	31
July 1999	33	27
January 1999	35	25
July 1998	40	30
January 1998	32	25
July 1997	48	39
January 1997	37	26

Unauthorised encampments
July 2001	19	14
January 2001	8	8
July 2000	13	4
January 2000	16	15
July 1999	19	16
January 1999	9	3
July 1998	9	7
January 1998	2	1
July 1997	16	⁽⁵⁾15
January 1997	8	4

Authorised sites:
Council
July 2001	5	5
January 2001	5	5
July 2000	4	4
January 2000	6	4
July 1999	3	0
January 1999	15	11
July 1998	20	12
January 1998	19	13
July 1997	21	13
January 1997	18	11

Private
July 2001	15	13
January 2001	15	13
July 2000	13	12
January 2000	13	12
July 1999	11	11
January 1999	11	11
July 1998	11	⁽⁵⁾11
January 1998	11	⁽⁵⁾11
July 1997	11	⁽⁵⁾11
January 1997	11	⁽⁵⁾11

⁽⁵⁾ Estimated figure

Note:

The Buckingham constituency is only part of Aylesbury Vale local authority area (although the main part) and that part of Aylesbury constituency is also covered within this area. Thus, any caravans or families on gypsy sites within Aylesbury constituency may also be included in the figures provided.

Source:

Counts data are from the bi-annual DTLR Gypsy return GS1

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