HC Deb 11 February 2002 vol 380 cc28-9W
Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the level of the outstanding debt of local authorities that relates to buildings that have now been demolished. [34819]

Mr. Byers

Although local authorities borrow to fund specific projects, the outstanding debt is held and managed centrally within an authority. Directors of Finance will, as a matter of good treasury management, reschedule and refinance their debt portfolio. It is therefore not possible over time to assign individual loans to specific projects, such as the construction, repair or maintenance of dwellings that have since been demolished.