Local authority housing purchase scheme
Deputy Robert Troy asks when a revised scheme for buying local authority houses will be published, criticising the existing pilot as too restrictive. The Minister says the review is being finalised and the recommendations will be implemented within weeks.
The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government promised a number of months ago that he would bring forward a new scheme to support people who wish to purchase local authority housing. The scheme initiated by the previous Government is extremely restrictive. It prohibits many people who wish to buy their houses from doing so. These sales also provide much needed revenue for local authorities, which can then reinvest the money refurbishing houses and so on. When will the scheme be published?
Comment on this
As I have said many times in the House, the scheme introduced last year was a pilot with a new approach. We said we would review it at the end of a year and that review is being finalised. As soon as the review is complete, we will implement the recommendations in the context of any scheme.
Comment on this
The Deputy will see that within weeks.