§ Mr. Budgenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he can now add to his answer on 21 May to the hon. Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant), Official Report, c. 177, about the steps which he is taking in respect of the seven authorities which were told on 15 April that he was contemplating intervention under section 23 of the Housing Act 1980.
§ Mr. John StanleyMeetings have been held with six authorities—Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich, Newham, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent and Wolverhampton. They have provided further information on the measures which they are taking to ensure that their tenants are able to exercise the right to buy effectively and expeditiously, and on the progress which they have made in recent weeks. The meetings have led the authorities to give precise undertakings as to their timetables for processing the right to buy applications they have received.
In the light of these considerations, and of their undertakings as to future progress, my right hon. Friend has decided not to intervene in Barking and Dagenham, Newham, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent and Wolverhampton at the present time. He will continue to monitor carefully whether tenants of those authorities have or may have difficulty in exercising their right to buy effectively and expeditiously and whether the authorities are fulfilling their undertakings within the timetables they have agreed.
My right hon. Friend remains dissatisfied with aspects of the borough of Greenwich's arrangements for implementing the right to buy, and he will announce his decision in respect of that authority shortly.