HC Deb 18 July 1995 vol 263 cc1069-70W
Mr. Caborn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on difficulties caused for local authority financing or re-financing by comments made in the case of Credit Suissev. Allerdale; what is the Government's policy on acquiring the use of borrowed money and avoiding the impact of controls; and what comparison he has made with the decision in City Centre Leisure (Holdings) Limited v. Westminster on the issue of acquiring the use of borrowed money; [35580]

(2) what assessment the Government have made of the use by local authorities of financial structures which minimise the impact of a project on a local authority's borrowing, expenditure or credit limits; [35578]

(3) what assessment he has made of the effect of the Allerdale case on the orderly rescheduling of existing off-balance sheet obligations of local authorities by means of deferred purchase commitments or the processing of various private finance initiatives opportunities; and if he will discuss the Government's policy in this area with the Audit Commission; [35577]

(4) what assessment has been made of the difference between the position where a local authority uses a company for fund raising and where an independent contractor borrows to fund the performance of work or the provision of services to the council for reward; [35581]

(5) what assessment has been made by his Department on the extent of the use of private finance initiative to enable projects to go ahead without the costs and borrowing relating to such projects falling on the balance sheets of local authorities; and what is his Department's policy on whether their practice is appropriate. [35579]

Mr. Curry

I will write to the hon. Member.