§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department will send to the residential tenants of the Bloomsbury properties sold by them on 29 February details of the new owners of their homes.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergDetails of the new owners will be sent to the tenants once legal completion of the sale has taken place.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the total proceeds of the auction of the Property Services Agency property in Bloomsbury on 29 February; what fee or commission was paid to Weatherall, Green and Smith; and if he will list the purchasers of each of the properties sold.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe total proceeds of sale were £7,769,000. The purchasers were:
- Lots 1–14, 15 and 16 London Trust Company Ltd.
- Lot 17 Gleniffer Finance Corporation Ltd.
- Lot 18 Queensway Marketing Ltd.
I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the particulars and conditions of sale so that he can identify the properties involved.
The commission paid to Weatherall, Green and Smith cannot be disclosed, being commercial in confidence.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the Property Services Agency 333W properties in Bloomsbury sold on 29 February were empty at the time of sale; and what was the effect of this on the price achieved.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergApproximately 40 per cent. were empty. The satisfactory sale price reflected this.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the conditions of sale on the properties in Bloomsbury auctioned by the Property Services Agency on 29 February; if any conditions were placed upon the purchase to ensure that no sale would be made to prospective purchasers who had been connected with any offences relating to harassment of tenants in any other properties owned by them or against whom actions had been brought by local authorities to secure compliance with housing and public health legislation in any of their property; and whether any special terms and conditions have been imposed on the purchasers to protect the rights of new residential tenants.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergI am sending the hon. Member a copy of the particulars and conditions of sale.
The usual procedures for the disposal of surplus Government property were followed. There is ample legislation to protect the rights of existing and new tenants.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will add to the Camden council's housing investment programme allocation a sum equivalent to the proceeds of the 29 February auction of Property Services Agency property in Bloomsbury to be devoted to rehabilitating the residential property in Bloomsbury previously sold to Camden council, which was allowed to fall into disrepair when the Property Services Agency was the landlord.