§ Lord Jacobsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 24 April (WA 31–32):
(d) what was the bargain between the interested parties;
(e) why it is not possible to say who were the interested parties representing the leaseholders; and
(f) whether it is possible to say who were the parties representing the landlords with whom this agreement was struck. [HL4107]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)As previously stated, the Government's proposals for commonhold and leasehold reform were the subject of extensive consultation with landlords, leaseholders and other interested parties. The resulting Act was designed to strike a fair balance between the legitimate interests of those different groups. The "bargain" is, therefore, contained in the provisions of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.
As I explained in my Written Answer on 1 May (WA 31–32), information regarding all those who responded to our consultation exercises in 1998 and 2000 are available to the public, with the exception of those who asked for their responses to be treated as confidential. These included 700 to 800 leaseholders, leaseholders' resident associations and leaseholder representative organisations. Furthermore, 34 landlords and landlords' representatives responded to the first consultation exercise and 66 to the second. Analyses of the responses to both consultations can be found in the Library of the House together with details of those who responded. DTLR Ministers also met representatives from the Leasehold Enfranchisement Association, the Campaign for the Abolition of Residential Leasehold and the British Property Federation.