HC Deb 29 March 1960 vol 620 c1133
38. Mr. M. Stewart

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will arrange for the publication of the housing revenue accounts of new town development corporations..

Mr. H. Brooke

No, Sir.

Mr. Stewart

Since the local authorities have to publish housing revenue accounts, why should not the new town development corporations do the same? It is a matter of public interest and of interest to their tenants.

Mr. Brooke

In this we have been following the general line laid out by the Wilson Committee which advised us some time ago. I do not think that there is an exact parallel here, because the new town corporations are not in the same position as local authorities. They do not have the rates on which to draw. In the case of local authorities the accounts are published, presumably in order that the ratepayer may know to what extent he is, or may be, subsidising the rents of council tenants.

Mr. Stewart

Surely the Minister makes a decision like that on his own judgment and does not merely follow what any Committee may have said. What is the objection to publication?

Mr. Brooke

It is now about ten years since we had the benefit of the Wilson Committee which was set up to advise on the form of accounts for new towns. It did so very admirably and its Report proceeded on the principle that the various activities of a new town corporation were indivisible for accounting purposes. That has been accepted these last ten years and I think that we should stick to it.