HC Deb 14 March 1996 vol 273 cc693-4W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environmental if he will list the local authorities which have sold their interests in(a) a municipal bus company, (b) crematoria and (c) airports in the current year to date. [20454]

Sir Paul Beresford

To date, in the financial year 1995–96 no local authorities have sold their interests in municipal bus companies. Pendle borough council hopes to complete the sale of its share in the Burnley and Pendle Bus Company soon. Two airport sales have been completed in this period. Dorset county council and Bournemouth borough council sold their interests in Bournemouth International Airport plc to National Express. Mid, South and West Glamorgan councils sold their interests in Cardiff International Airport Ltd. to TBI, a local company. Information on the sale of crematoria has not been collected centrally. In September 1996–97 we propose to request information on the sale of assets which have been subject to targeted relaxations in the amount required to be set aside under the capital finance system. Bus companies, crematoria and airports are among these.