§ Mr. Bill WalkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the action of district councils in restricting the statutory rights of council house tenants to buy their home.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe Scottish Development Department receives numerous representations about the right-to-buy provisions. Some of these contain allegations that some councils are in breach of statutory requirements, for example the duty to respond to an application to purchase within two months.
I am also aware of the city of Glasgow district council's practice of requiring certain of its tenants, before their houses are improved, to sign an undertaking not to exercise their statutory right to buy, or if they do so, that they will repay to the council a proportion of the costs of the improvements. This matter was the subject of a local inquiry in June 1988 following which my right hon. and learned Friend made an order declaring the council to be in default of its statutory duties. Following an intimation by the council that it did not accept that it was in default, the Court of Session was petitioned for an order of specific performance by the council. The court's opinion was issued on 20 October, granting the petition and allowing Glasgow district council 12 weeks within which to complete the steps to remedy the default.