HC Deb 10 February 1999 vol 325 cc250-1W
Mr. Livsey

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the procedures which his Department's officials will follow in taking formal action in relation to registered housing associations, their committee members and members of staff; when these procedures were agreed to and by whom; and what actions have been taken to date under these procedures. [69721]

Mr. Jon Owen Jones

The formal actions available to the Department are set out in Schedule 1 of the Housing Act 1996 and are:

  • power to appoint a new committee member
  • power to direct an inquiry into the affairs of an association
  • power to require an extraordinary audit of accounts and balance sheet
  • where an inquiry or audit establishes misconduct or mismanagement, to remove or suspend officers, employees or agents, to freeze bank accounts or to restrict transactions.

The Department has taken no action under these procedures.

In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.