HC Deb 16 March 1988 vol 129 c607W
73. Mr. Summerson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that every local authority(a) keeps a publicly available register of parcels of all land it owns, (b) is obliged to sell such land at valuation on request unless it proves to his satisfaction a genuine need to retain it for its own use, and (c) shall be forbidden to sell such land to any other public or official bodies without his consent.

Mr. Chope

My right hon. Friend announced on 7 March, at columns75–76, in response to my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry), that he intends that public bodies should regularly publish information about the unused and underused land they own.

There is immense scope for local authorities to improve the management of their property, including sales of surplus or underused assets particularly to the private sector. The Audit Commission's recent report on property management gives local authorities detailed guidance and I hope that they will follow up the recommendations in the report in the interests of their ratepayers.

Mr. Soley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his statement on Wednesday 16 March,Official Report, columns 325–6, in what circumstances local authorities will be allowed to pass land over to a housing association and then to lease back any houses that are built by that housing association.

Mr. Chope

The measures announced on 9 March will not prevent local authorities disposing of land to housing associations or acquiring leases of houses built by housing associations. Prescribed expenditure will, however, now be scored when a lease of three or more years is acquired and authorities which wish to acquire such leases will need to make appropriate provision within their prescribed expenditure limits.

Mr. Soley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list in theOfficial Report those local authorities which have entered into negotiations on, but have not yet concluded, leaseback schemes with housing associations of the type which will be prevented by the legislation announced in his statement on Wednesday 9 March, Official Report, column 325.

Mr. Chope

Local authorities are not obliged to inform my right hon. Friend that they have entered into, or concluded, negotiations with housing associations and in general do not do so. The information requested is therefore not available.