§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that the process of tenant consultation required by the Housing Bill and described on pages 11 to 13 of his Department's paper "Tenants' Choice" will include(a) provision for a compulsory secret ballot, and (b) a ban on the offering of financial inducements and similar practices; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RoeThe Government intend that regulations under clause 95 of the Housing Bill will provide for tenants to cast their votes in privacy by means including postal voting. Votes will be received and counted, and the outcome certified, by an independent teller paid for by the applicant. It will be necessary for votes cast to relate to identifiable tenancies because they will determine not only whether the transaction may proceed, but also which tenants have opted to remain tenants of their existing landlord.
We shall ensure that the adoption by applicants of corrupt practices would be inconsistent with approved status under clause 87 of the Bill. Revocation of approval before the completion of the proposed statutory procedures would cause applications in train to fall.