HC Deb 02 November 1988 vol 139 cc1015-6
11. Mr. Fraser

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many (a) letters have been sent and (b) visits have been made, by his officials, to tenants and residents of the Angell and Loughborough estates, London SW9.

Mr. Ridley

A total of 4,326 copies of two letters have been sent to occupiers of Angeltown and Loughborough estates. I met council and tenant representatives on 27 July, and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Mr. Trippier) has visited the estates. In addition, there have been three meetings attended by my officials.

Mr. Fraser

Does that not involve political expenditure in advance of a decision by Parliament, and is the Secretary of State not paying a substantial fee to Peat, Marwick, McLintock to find out whether there is support for housing action trusts among the tenants? In the interests of saving public expenditure, will the Secretary of State take it from me that the tenants are opposed to HATs? If he does not believe me, will he accept the decision of the other place to have a ballot of tenants?

Mr. Ridley

I remember the meeting which the hon. Gentleman attended with the tenants. I am sure that he will sympathise with me on how difficult it is to discuss and explain these matters to people if they walk out before the meeting starts. I find it difficult to discover whether they are in favour or against HATs when they do not stay to talk to me.

Mr. Soley

Will the Secretary of State explain why he cannot tell the tenants what housing action trusts are about? He told us earlier that they were about getting extra money, but Peat, Marwick, McLintock clearly says in its document, which I have here in full, that "the goal" is successful transfer to the private sector.

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Member should not quote.

Mr. Soley

As that is the intention of Peat, Marwick, McLintock, has it misled, or have the tenants been misled?

Mr. Ridley

The hon. Gentleman, as he knows, has obtained another stolen document only this time it was stolen by the tenants. I express no dismay, because he does not quite know what it means. The private sector, of course, includes housing associations and tenants' co-operatives that are classified as being in the private sector.