HC Deb 14 April 1988 vol 131 cc234-5W
Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what questions his Department has agreed shall be put to local authority tenants, for the purposes of research into their attitudes towards a change of their landlord, being carried out by the British Marketing Bureau; what information his Department has agreed shall be given to local authority tenants about the implications of a change of their landlord, for the purposes of this research; and if he will lay a copy of the questions and the information in the Library;

(2) (a) which local authority areas have been selected, for the purposes of research into the attitudes of existing council tenants towards a change of their landlord, commissioned by his Department from the British Marketing Bureau; and on what basis these areas were selected and (b) how many local authority tenants have been interviewed in each area for the purposes of this research and on what basis these tenants have been selected;

(3) (a) for what purpose his Department has commissioned the British Marketing Bureau to carry out research into the attitudes of existing local authority tenants towards a change of their landlord, (b) when this research was commissioned, and over what period it is being carried out, (c) to what use his Department intends the results of this research to be put; and when, how and to whom the findings will be made available and (d) what is the cost of this research.

Mrs. Roe

Tenants on a number of estates were invited to help identify factors important in a tenant's choice of landlord. The research, costing £11,750, is being carried out by the British Market Research Bureau to assist in the development and evaluation of policy. The consultants were commissioned in January 1988 to report at the end of May. Fieldwork involving two groups of 10 tenants took place in each of eight local authorities, between 21 March and 7 April. The local authorities varied in terms of size, type of area and authority. We are seeking the consent of the authorities concerned to publication of their names, and I shall write to the hon. Gentleman when their replies have been received. The research method involved group discussions, based on topics, rather than on formal questions, designed to stimulate discussion among tenants and to elicit their views about landlords. When we receive the consultants' report, we shall consider publication.