§ Mr. DunnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to alter the arrangements whereby local authorities obtain consent to dispose of land at less than best price. [7696]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordMy Department and the Welsh Office have today issued the Local Government Act 1972 general disposal consent 1995, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, with the covering letter and explanatory commentary. This gives effect to proposals on which local authority associations and other interested organisations, including the Audit Commission, were consulted in March and which were generally welcomed.
This general consent defines certain circumstances in which local authorities may, in future, dispose of land for less than best price without making specific application to the Secretary of State. For example, local authorities will 1104W now have greater freedom to grant long leases to other local authorities, health authorities or charities, or for purposes for which they have powers to provide grants or loans.
The consent is designed to strike a balance between protecting the public purse and giving greater autonomy to local authorities to manage their own affairs.