§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy, when deciding whether to approve a proposal for a large-scale voluntary transfer of local authority housing, with regard to the treatment of tenants who do not vote in a ballot as agreeing with the transfer; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Trippier[holding answer 4 November 1988]: My right hon. Friend indicated the criteria he would normally expect to adopt, including those on tenant consultation, in guidelines on "Large Scale Voluntary Transfers of Local Authority Housing to Private Bodies", issued by the Department of the Environment in June 1988. He has said that he will apply the requirements of schedule 3A to the Housing Act 1985, whether or not it applies statutorily to the transfer in question. Beyond this, he will consider each case on its merits.