Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to incentivise local authorities to promote social tenants' Right to Buy.

Under the Housing Act 1985 and associated secondary legislation, social landlords have a duty to supply information to their tenants to make them aware of how they can exercise their Right to Buy.

However, it has been clear that some Labour councils have not enthusiastically done this, trying to keep their tenants in the dark. My Department has used a variety of media channels to raise awareness of the Right to Buy. We are open to representations on how we can further take forward the Right to Buy.

More broadly, Right to Buy sales help councils boost housing construction and reduce housing waiting lists. Since the Right to Buy was reinvigorated in England, £730 million in sales receipts are being re-invested in affordable house building; levering a further £1.7 billion of investment over the next 2 years. This means that in total, over £2.4 billion will be raised to invest in affordable house building as a result of the Right to Buy.

My Department recently announced a new £42 million fund in 2015-16 to help council tenants who are eligible for Right to Buy to purchase a home on the open market. This will prioritise several groups of council tenants, including older people and will give those older people an opportunity to buy a home which is more suitable for their needs, or closer to family or support networks.