HC Deb 04 November 1993 vol 231 c327W
Mr. Miller

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make report recommendations of the housing ombudsman legally enforceable.

Sir George Young

A housing association tenants' ombudsman has recently been appointed and the new service will be fully operational next month. The Housing Corporation will use its statutory powers to issue management guidance to housing associations so that they will be expected to co-operate with the ombudsman and to carry out his recommendations in relation to specific cases. If an association did not co-operate or comply, this would be reported by the ombudsman to the Housing Corporation, which would then be able to use its statutory powers of regulation to address any issues of mismanagement.