§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement on his Department's discussions with the Housing Corporation with regard to co-operative housing. [147539]
(2) if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on co-operative housing. [147538]
Mr. Robert AinsworthResident empowerment is at the core of the Government's policies for social housing. We want to bring choice, self-reliance and responsibility to social tenants by giving them a direct stake in managing their own homes. Tenants should be encouraged to explore and to choose from a range of options including tenant management and, where the circumstances are right, developing a resident controlled organisation, including housing co-operatives.
Local authorities have a vital role to play in promoting resident control as part of their housing strategies. Stock transfers, in particular, provide an opportunity for tenant management and central. All housing transfer landlords have at least one-third tenant members on their governing bodies. Where tenants want it, a resident controlled registered social landlord can take on local authority stock. We want to encourage more tenants to think about the opportunities for taking on ownership and management of their homes in stock transfers. We would expect new landlords to honour existing arrangements for resident control and to support its development in the stock they take on.
Officials in my Department and from the Housing Corporation are in regular and close contact to ensure that we have a joined up approach that gives maximum benefit to residents.