HC Deb 16 November 1998 vol 319 c334W
Mr. Sanders

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the list of tenants' organisations circulated with the Secure Tenants' Right to Buy consultation paper. [59531]

Mr. Raynsford

The consultation paper was circulated to English local authorities and registered social landlords who were encouraged to bring it to the attention of their tenants, so that these could comment directly or via their landlord. The Department does not have a list of their tenants' organisations or of those who may have received a copy of the paper from their landlord.

Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what the maximum discount is under the right-to-buy scheme at present; and what it will be under the Government's new proposals; [59620]

(2) what the (a) maximum and (b) minimum reductions in the right-to-buy discounts will be as a result of the Government's changes to the existing discount scheme;[59622]

(3) he will make a statement on the Government's proposals to reduce the maximum discount for council home tenants wishing to buy their homes under the right-to-buy. [59621]

Mr. Raynsford

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Housing in her written reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Mrs. Butler) on 28 July 1998,Official Report, columns 124-25, which set out the Government's proposals in detail. She said that the Government were publishing a consultation paper. This proposed to replace the current £50,000 cash limit on discount with nine regional limits ranging from £22,000 in the North East to £38,000 in London and the South East, reflecting council house prices in each region.

We are now considering responses to the consultation paper. It is anticipated that the change would affect approximately 1 in 4 buyers in London. Of those, some may receive a few hundred pounds less discount than if they had applied before the change came into force. The maximum theoretical reduction in discount will range from £28,000 in the North-East to £12,000 in London. However, the effect on any individual buyer will depend on a range of factors including the value of the property, the region in which it is located, and the number of years' tenancy which entitle the buyer to added discount.