The number of houses completed and acquired by local authorities in the past four years was 3,217 in 1997, 3,290 in 1998, 3,713 in 1999 and 3,207 in 2000. I am encouraged by the fact that at the end of 2000 more than 5,000 local authority houses were under construction – the highest level for 15 years. This increased level of activity is borne out by the provisional completion figures for the first quarter of 2001 which indicates that local authorities completed or acquired almost 800 houses in the first three months of 2001, an increase of 150% on the corresponding figure for the first quarter of 2000. Based on this level of activity, I expect authorities to complete or acquire more than 5,000 houses in 2001 and start in excess of 7,000 houses. This is the highest level of activity for many years and evidence that the multi-annual programme approach is beginning to bear fruit.
The results of the statutory assessment of housing needs undertaken by local authorities at the end of March 1999 indicated a total of 39,176 households in need of local authority housing. The previous statutory assessment of housing needs was undertaken at the end of March 1996 and indicated a total of 27,427 households in need of local authority housing. From ongoing contacts by my Department with local authorities it is estimated that needs increased by around 20% between March 1999 and March 2001. The next comprehensive statutory assessment of housing needs is due to be undertaken by local authorities at the end of March 2002.
The Government is fully aware of the increased level of social housing need and priority is being given by tackling this need. I have taken a range of measures to assist local authorities to expand their housing programmes and to expand overall social housing output. This has included the introduction of a four year multi-annual programme for the period 2000-03 to assist better forward planning by local authorities and to increase output. This programme provides for 25,000 local authority houses in this four year period. By way of contrast, in the early 1990s local authority housing output was averaging about 1,000 units per annum.