§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's policy concerning the disposal of local authority housing estates to developers where the consideration received by the local authority would be less than the outstanding debt charges from the construction costs of the estate.
§ Sir George YoungPrivate sector skills and resources have an important part to play in the revitalisation of rundown local authority housing estates. Sales of such estates to developers are made entirely on a voluntary basis, and normally at current market value. Whether or not the receipt from such a sale would cover any outstanding debt charges is a matter for the authority to take into account in deciding whether to proceed.