asked the Minister for the Environment if he will introduce a special purchase scheme applicable to local authorities to cover pre-1940 houses.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authority House Purchase Scheme.
21.
I do not consider that the introduction of a separate purchase scheme for pre-1940 local authority houses would be warranted.
The Minister should consider the fact that there are a number of pre-1940 local authority houses which are a burden on the county councils because of the large amount of money it would cost to repair them in relation to the prices being asked under the purchase scheme. Would the Minister consider introducing a scheme to allow councils to sell off these houses?
I am surprised that the Deputy has raised this matter because since the introduction in 1973 of the revised house purchase scheme the Department of the Environment state that the vast majority of pre-1940 local authority dwellings have been acquired by their tenants. While I accept that the cost of repairing those local authority houses would be excessive relative to the purchase cost to an occupant with reasonable years of tenancy, the Deputy appears to be talking about a minority problem. If he has particular difficulties in relation to local authority houses in his own constituency he should deal with the county manager or write to the Minister for the Environment.
Are there any house purchase schemes in existence for local authority dwellings and, if not, why?
I think the Deputy is referring to a system where local authorities built houses either for letting or for purchase. The joint approach was combined in a system where applicants for housing had the choice of becoming tenant purchasers with 100 per cent loans or remaining as tenants. The supply of low cost housing for purchase ——
No. The time is nearly up and I know what the Minister is at. A purchase scheme whereby tenants can buy the houses in which they are already living has not been in existence for nearly two years.
My understanding is that there is such a scheme. If the Deputy is referring to the way in which it currently operates, I have no knowledge in that regard.
There is no local authority central purchase scheme in operation at present because, presumably, the Government want tenants to take up the new grant of £5,000.
I am not directly aware of that.
It is now 3.30 p.m. and, in accordance with an order of the House, we must move on to priority questions.