§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied with the arrangements made by local authorities in England and Wales for enabling those council house tenants wishing to buy their own homes under the right-to-buy provisions of the Housing Act 1980 who have taken out mortgages with their own local authority to transfer their mortgages to a building society offering lower rates of interest; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StanleyI am generally satisfied. I have asked all local authorities to consider introducing such transfer schemes, and a growing number are doing so. I am, however, considering whether further measures could be taken to facilitate the transfer of local authority mortgages to the private sector.