asked the Minister for the Environment if there are any EC requirements or rules or objectives regarding the provision of bathrooms in dwellings that have none; if so, what assistance if any is available from EC funds; his policies in relation to providing bathrooms in (a) local authority and (b) private dwellings that have none and the incentives or grants he has either provided or removed, increased or reduced to this end; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Provision of Bathrooms in Dwellings.
112.
Apart from the limited loan finance available under the special scheme operated by the European Coal and Steel Community for the modernisation of houses for coal and steel workers, I am not aware of any EC requirement or specific assistance in relation to the provision of bathrooms.
The provision of bathrooms in designated schemes of pre-1940 rented local authority dwellings which are in need of refurbishment may qualify for assistance under the remedial works scheme operated by my Department. A capital allocation of £7 million has been provided for this scheme in 1987 and the loan charges incurred by local authorities may be subsidised up to a maximum of 80 per cent. In addition, unsubsidised capital is also available to local authorities to assist in the provision of bathrooms and other necessary modernisation works to rented local authority dwellings.
The £600 grant for the provision of bathroom facilities where they did not exist was terminated with effect from 27 March 1987. Local authorities may make available to householders house improvement loans of up to £6,500 subject to the usual conditions. They may also give grants of up to two-thirds of the approved cost for the provision of a bathroom in a private house to meet the needs of a disabled member of the household; in the case of a local authority house the disabled person's grant may meet the full cost of the work.