§ Mr. SoleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how the appointed teller described in his Department's consultation paper "Tenants' Choice: Consultation and Voting" will be able to communicate in the manner described with a seaman on active service overseas serving on Her Majesty's submarines for extended periods in times of international tension;
(2) whether a service man or service woman on active service overseas who does not respond to the tellers' inquiries as described in "Tenants' Choice: Consultation and Voting", will have his or her home transferred to another landlord.
§ Mr. TrippierThe numbers of service personnel affected by tenants' choice will be small. Any who are, including submariners, will be enabled by regulations to cast an advance vote at any point in the 13-week consultation period if they expect to be absent during the vote itself. In addition, the independent teller will be able to contact virtually all service personnel overseas through the British Forces Post Office. Where the tenancy concerned is a joint one, a vote may be cast on behalf of all the joint tenants, including any service personnel on overseas duty. Tenants eligible to vote who did not do so would become tenants of the applicant if a tenants' choice transfer went ahead.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what detailed advice he has given as to recommended procedures for balloting tenants to determine whether tenants wish to remain local authority tenants as provided under the Housing Act 1988.
§ Mr. TrippierA consultation paper "Tenants' Choice—Consultation and Voting" was issued to interested parties on 8 December 1988; copies were placed in the Library. Secondary legislation is being prepared to give effect to this and other provisions of part IV of the Housing Act 1988.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library information showing the form of questions put, to date, by local authorities to tenants, in ballots to determine whether tenants wish to remain local authority tenants.
180W
Average domestic rate poundages and illustrative community charges in Cambridgeshire 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 Cambridge Average Domestic Rate Bill (£) 307 345 357 481 513 552 Domestic Rate (p) 124.5 139.5 144.5 194.0 206.0 221.0 Community Charge (£) n/a 95 110 154 190 213 East Cambridgeshire Average Domestic Rate Bill (£) 205 233 244 333 357 378 Domestic Rate (p) 119.8 134.9 140.7 190.1 201.1 211.0 Community Charge (£) n/a 84 104 150 182 196 Fenland Average Domestic Rate Bill (£) 195 220 231 312 334 356 Domestic Rate (p) 124.8 139.3 145.3 194.4 206.5 218.7 Community Charge (£) n/a 90 110 158 185 208
§ Mr. Trippier; Copies of ballot forms from the three authorities which have so far applied for consent to the sale of their housing stocks have been placed in the Library.