§ Mr. Hendersonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will appoint suitably qualified 38W independent persons to examine the financial management policies of the Housing Corporation and the effectiveness of the corporation's monitoring and control of public funds distributed to housing associations; and whether he is satisfied that the financial management of housing associations is providing value for money.
§ Mr. StanleyQuite apart from the financial control exercised internally by the Housing Corporation's board which itself has substantial financial experience, the corporation's financial management is subject to independent scrutiny by its auditors, by my Department, and by Parliament. I do not consider it necessary to add to the existing arrangements for scrutiny and monitoring. I am satisfied that though individual housing associations and particular housing association schemes have on occasions been found not to be well managed, generally speaking public expenditure on housing through housing associations provides value for money.