asked the Minister for the Environment whether his Department will publish the Government White Paper on housing which was under preparation in his Department in the course of 1982 and which was due for publication in December 1982; if not, if his Department will announce long-term housing policies, strategies, targets and objectives; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers . - White Paper on Housing .
550.
: While some preparatory work had been done on a draft White Paper on housing when the previous Government were in office, the work was still only in the preliminary stages at the time of the change of Government.
In so far as the present Government are concerned, their primary objectives in regard to housing are those set out in the joint programme for Government. As regards other aspects of housing, the Deputy may be assured that it is my intention that policies generally should be subjected to a process of continuing review. As to whether it would be appropriate to develop and issue a comprehensive statement of policies in the form of a White Paper, this is something that I will keep under examination in the period ahead. In the meantime, any new measures seen to be desirable and capable of being met within the available resources will be proceeded with.