§ Mr. SoleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what information he has as to when Westminster council will complete the evaluation of the Walterton and Elgin estate in the matter of the application by the tenants of the estate to change their landlord under the tenants' choice provisions of the Housing Act 1988;
(2) if he will take action to ensure that Westminster council does not delay further in processing the applications by tenants of the Walterton and Elgin estates to change their landlord under the tenants' choice provisions of the Housing Act 1988;
(3) what information he has on the reasons for the delay by Westminster council in processing the application by tenants of the Walterton and Elgin estate to change their landlord under the tenants' choice provisions of the Housing Act 1988.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerUnder the tenants' choice provisions of the Housing Act 1988, the local authority has eight weeks to notify the applicant landlord of the price it considers should be paid for the property. Extensions to this period are a matter between the local authority and the applicant landlord, and the Secretary of State has no locus in the matter. I understand that in the case of the Walterton and Elgin estate in Westminster the reasons for the delay are being discussed by the parties concerned, and I hope that the outstanding issues can be speedily resolved.