§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his best estimate of the total cost to the public purse of keeping Waverley court at Foxbar in Paisley empty for six years following a decision by Scottish Homes to dispose of it to the private sector; what were the costs in terms of(a) lost rental income, (b) resettlement allowances, (c) decoration payments, (d) removal expenses, (e) furniture storage expenses, (f) other rehousing payments and costs, (g) staff time in developing the package, (h) staff time in consultation with individual tenants or groups of tenants, (i) staff time in briefing, consulting, guiding and instructing outside bodies, (j) staff time in working with potential developers, (k) loss of rental income for the whole period, (l) all consultancy fees relating to the building during the whole period and (m) other costs; what will be the cost of demolishing the building and clearing the site; what action he intends to take to ensure such events cannot occur again; and if he will make a statement. [39188]
§ Mr. Raymond S. RobertsonThe information requested is a matter for Scottish Homes and I have asked its chairman, Sir James Mellon, to write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will seek a meeting with the chairman of Scottish Homes to discuss the cost to the public purse of its decision to evacuate Waverley court at Foxbar in Paisley six years ago; if he will instruct an investigation into the circumstances which caused Scottish Homes to seek disposal of the building to the private sector without first checking that private sector financiers were willing to lend or enter into mortgages on the property or its component parts; if he will instruct the board of Scottish Homes to instruct disciplinary investigations arising from the performance of its officials in this episode; and if he will launch a full-scale investigation into the loss of public funds; [39189]
(2) if he will launch a public inquiry into the possible misuse of public funds, maladministration and negligence of Scottish Homes in relation to Waverley court at Foxbar in Paisley. [39173]
496W
§ Mr. RobertsonMy right hon. Friend is aware of the corrrespondence between the hon. Member and the chairman of Scottish Homes and has no plans to initiate any inquiry into the matter.