§ Mr. O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all past or present appointees to Urban Development Corporation boards who have business interests in the metropolitan area in which the Urban Development Corporation is located, or in other Urban Development Corporation areas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TrippierMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State considers it desirable to appoint to Urban Development Corporation boards those with relevant experience. This means that members are likely to have connections, whether business or otherwise, in and around the area in which their Urban Development Corporation is located.
The Department advises Urban Development Corporations how to handle potential conflicts of interest. Chairmen are required to sign undertakings which reflect their particular circumstances. If they are involved with companies that might otherwise operate in the urban development area they will normally be required to confirm that the companies will not so operate during the term of their appointment.
Other board members must declare to the board their private interests which might give rise to a conflict. If a particular case gives rise to a possible conflict of interest, the member is required to write in advance to the chairman and it is for the other board members to decide what action to take. Unless the interest is trivial, the member would normally withdraw from the discussion and not vote on it.
If a board member of one Urban Development Corporation has business interests in or near the area of another, no question of conflict of interest arises.
§ Mr. O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the response to his request that Urban Development Corporation's pass on examples of good practice to each other; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TrippierThe Department's guidance to Urban Development Corporations asks them to pass on experience which may be useful to other Urban Development Corporations. They are developing their own informal networks. In addition, my Department organises regular seminars for Urban Development Corporation chief executives which provide a forum for exchanging relevant experience and information.