Vol. 531 No. 3
276 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the progress in regard to applications for essential repairs of housing; and if he has satisfied himself with the progress in applications for repairs in lieu. [5406/01]
I increased the effective maximum grant available under the essential repairs grant scheme from £1,800 in 1998 to the current level of £7,500. Activity under the scheme, which is administered by local authorities, increased significantly last year. In the full year 1999, 966 grants were paid by local authorities. In the nine months to end September 2000, which is the latest data available, 965 grants had been paid, which is almost a 50% increase on the number of grants paid in the same period in 1999.
Although the 99 improvement works in lieu of local authority housing projects completed by September 2000, is marginally down on the 112 completions to end September 1999, activity by local authorities under the scheme is increasing, as evidenced by a 30% increase in the number of improvement works in progress and commenced in September 2000 over September 1999 and a 20% increase in works approved but not yet commenced.
I continually encourage local authorities to utilise to the full the range of schemes available to them to meet housing need in their areas and I am satisfied that activity in relation to these schemes greatly increased during 2000 as compared to 1999.
