Government accused over 'unfit' homes

(First Edition)

LABOUR accused the Government yesterday of 'hiding' the findings of a report believed to show more than 1million homes in England are unfit for human habitation.

Jack Straw, environment spokesman, said Labour had conducted its own survey of housing conditions because the Government had 'hidden' its five-yearly House Condition Survey for England.

Based on information collated by 32 local authorities, under various political control, Labour found: two out of three council homes in need of renovation, compared with one in seven in 1979; and one in 10 private homes was unfit for human habitation more than double the 1979 figure.

John Battle, Labour's housing spokesman, said he understood the Government's 1991 housing survey showed an increase in houses unfit for habitation from 700,000 to 1.3 million since 1987.