HC Deb 27 June 1988 vol 136 cc137-8W
Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what safeguards he proposes under the provisions of the Housing Bill for disabled and housebound tenants of local authority properties, to vote in any possible ballot concerning proposed change in the ownership of such properties; and whether, in the event of such tenants being unable to vote, they will have been deemed to have given their assent to the proposed change in ownership.

Mr. Waldegrave

My right hon. Friend intends to provide in regulations made under clause 95 of the Housing Bill that tenants consulted on a proposal for transfer under tenants' choice should, if they wish, be able to vote by post. We intend as far as possible to ensure that

Annual Average Percentage Increases in House Prices
Year Northern Yorks and Humberside East Midlands East Anglia Greater London South East South West West Midlands North West Wales Scotland Northern Ireland
1978 12 13 13 15 19 17 15 15 16 16 13 15
1979 22 25 27 29 34 33 32 28 29 27 20 20
1980 18 23 24 26 22 21 25 19 23 19 15 11

all qualifying tenants are put in a position to cast their vote, and to do so on a fully informed basis. The means by which we propose to achieve this include an informal, preliminary phase of tenant consultation to be run by the Housing Corporation; a code of practice, compliance with which would be a condition of the applicant's approval, requiring applicants to inform tenants as key points in the procedures were reached; prescribing in regulations the form in which information is put to tenants during the formal consultation under clause 95; and a requirement on both applicants and the independent tellers that they will be obliged to employ to use best endeavours to see that the material is received and its significance understood by tenants eligible to vote. Applicants would be able to proceed with an acquisition unless the number of tenants voting to continue as tenants of their existing landlord exceeded 50 per cent. of those eligible to be consulted under clause 95. No secure tenant will be obliged to change landlord under tenants' choice against his or her will.