§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in the case of the property on the Bloomsbury Estate, which he proposes to sell off to the private sector, what consultations he has had with either the residential or commercial tenants of these properties; what consultations he has had with the Bloomsbury tenants' association or any other body representing the commercial tenants; what vetting of potential purchasers he proposes to carry out before selling any of the residential tenanted property; whether he will be prepared to sell any of the tenanted residential property to companies which have been found guilty of any financial impropriety or harassment of tenants in the past; whether he is prepared to sell predominantly residential properties to the Camden borough council; whether he would be prepared to consider selling any of the property to a housing association or housing co-operative; whether, before deciding whether to sell the property, his Department considered the adverse effects of the sale of residential property to the private sector on the rehabilitation of other properties formerly owned by it in the area and the consequent break-up of the local community; whether he is prepared to include conditions to protect residential tenants in any contracts with private sector purchasers; and whether he will prohibit sales of residential property to foreign companies.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe usual procedures for the disposal of surplus Government property will be followed. There is ample legislation to protect tenants.