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Lords amendment: No. 2A, in page 5, line 30, at end insert:
subject to paragraph 11(2) of Schedule 2 to this Act)
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg)I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
§ Mr. FinsbergThese are fairly straightforward amendments which allow flats in the same block which are sold under the right-to-buy provision to have leases which end on the same day. The main amendment, as I think will be clear to the House, is to schedule 2. That provides that, once one flat in a block has been leased under the provisions of the Bill for a term of 125 years or more, any subsequent lease of another flat in the block under the right-to-buy provision may terminate at the same time as the lease on the first flat.
That would apply whether the first flat had been sold under the right to buy, or voluntarily under the powers in part V of the Bill. It is right to say that this was a matter that was discussed in Committee. We have had representations from a wide variety of bodies, including the Association of District Councils, the London Boroughs Association, the Law Society, the GLC, the Housing Centre Trust, and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. I am glad to say that on further reflection we were able to advise another place to accept this amendment. The amendments, therefore, to clauses 6 and 15 are consequential. They deal with assumptions for valuing of the flat and the landlord's duty to complete.
§ Mr. KaufmanWe are, of course, opposed to these forced sales but since, for a short period before repeal of this Bill, these forced sales will take place, we welcome the good sense of the Government in this tidying-up operation.
§ Question put and agreed to.