§ Mr. Hancockasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the content of the telephone call between his Department and an officer of Portsmouth city council concerning the Portsdown Park housing estate on 3 March;
(2) why the Minister responsible for making the decision with regard to Portsmouth city council's proposal to refurbish the Portsdown Park estate made contact with members of the Conservative group on Portsmouth city council and officers of the council on 3 March with regard to the city's proposed refurbishment of the Portsdown Park estate; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what correspondence passed between the Department and Portsmouth city council about 163W Portsdown Park other than the decision letter dated 4 March; what telephone conversations took place on 3, 4, and 6 March; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John Patten[pursuant to the replies, 23 October 1986 and 27 October 1986]: There is no record of contact between my officials and officers of the city council on Monday 3 March. On Tuesday 4 March, as a matter of courtesy I telephoned the leader of the council, and my officials telephoned council officers, to say that the Secretary of State's response to the council's application was to be sent by letter that day, and to indicate what the response would be. On 6 March officials were again in touch about a meeting to discuss the implications of the Department's letter of 4 March.
§ Mr. Hancockasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available copies of all the correspondence and details of any other contacts between his Department and Portsmouth city council with regard to the city's plan to refurbish the Portsdown Park estate which took place between the original submission of the Barratt's bid and the final decision; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John Patten[pursuant to the reply, 23 October 1986, c. 925–26]: I am arranging for copies of the main correspondence between my Department and the city council to be sent to the hon. Member. In addition to the correspondence, there have been two meetings between officials, and numerous telephone conversations to discuss the details of the council's application.
§ Mr. Hancockasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice Portsmouth city council was given by his Department on ways to refurbish Portsmouth Park which would not require Government approval.
§ Mr. John Patten[pursuant to the reply, 27 October 1986]: In discussions between officers of the city council and officials of my Department the possibility of alternative approaches was raised, but not with a view to avoiding the need for Government approval.
§ Mr. Hancockasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the Minister dealing with Portsmouth's application to refurbish the Portsdown Park estate advised that he could be surcharged or challenged in other ways if he approved Portsmouth's application.
§ Mr. John Patten[pursuant to the reply, 27 October 1986]: Any decision by the Secretary of State on an application for consent to disposal which was taken on the basis of inadequate information could be open to challenge in the courts. The Department's letter of 4 March indicated that the city council had not provided all the information needed to enable the Secretary of State to make a full assessment of its plans for the disposal of Portsdown Park. The information has since been supplied.