HC Deb 16 March 1988 vol 129 cc1094-5
10. Mr. David Martin

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will meet members of the local authority associations to discuss the findings of the latest annual report of the Local Government Ombudsman concerning maladministration in housing.

Mrs. Roe

No. The Local Government Ombudsman's findings of maladministration are addressed to the authorities being investigated and it is for them to consider what action they should take in response.

Mr. Martin

Has my hon. Friend noticed that the report's findings of maladministration by Labour councils outnumber those by Conservative councils by four to one? Does that not provide eloquent evidence of what even the New Statesman admitted the other day, which was that Labour authorities make lousy landlords?

Mrs. Roe

There are many poor landlords among local authorities, but the Government's policies will change that. Tenants' choice will act as a powerful incentive for local authorities to bring their management and maintenance standards up to those of potential new landlords. Tenants will be able to seek a new landlord if they are dissatisfied with the standard of service they are receiving.

Mr. Cohen

While the Minister is considering maladministration in local government, will she give a thought to Westminster, which sold for 15p three cemetries which were worth about £5 million? That sum could have been used in the public sector for housing. Will the Minister take direct action to refer that waste of public money to the ombudsman?

Mrs. Roe

That is for the local councils and local ratepayers to do.

Mr. Harry Greenway

Does my hon. Friend agree that the time has come to put some teeth into the Local Government Ombudsman's reports, bearing in mind that often serious maladministration is thrown up in them and nothing is done about that by local councils, particularly Labour local councils such as Ealing?

Mrs. Roe

It is for the local authorities themselves to take note of what the Local Government Ombudsman says. I hope that local councillors will put pressure on management to put right whatever has caused the difficulty.

Dr. Cunningham

As there is such anxiety about the efficiency and conduct of Labour-controlled local government among Conservative Members, why is there such a deafening silence about the conduct of the Conservative-controlled City of Westminster, which has facilitated and connived at the asset-stripping of cemetries in several other London boroughs? Would the Minister recommend to the ratepayers of Westminster that they raise that matter with the ombudsman?

Mrs. Roe

I think that this subject is already being investigated by other authorities.

Mr. Heddle

Is it not true that the Local Government Ombudsman in Northern Ireland has the legal teeth which, as my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) said, the English local ombudsman does not have? Is it not also true that the Labour-controlled local authorities which he cited will not carry out the recommendations unless there are legal reasons why they should?

Mrs. Roe

That is so.