HC Deb 09 February 2004 vol 417 cc1230-1W
Mr. Lepper

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the development of a code of good practice for public sector residential leasehold management. [152294]

Keith Hill

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no current plans to develop a code of good practice for public sector residential leasehold management.

Mr. Lepper

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will consult on the accounting requirement provisions contained in the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. [152295]

Keith Hill

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends to consult on regulations relating to the accounting provisions set out in sections 152 and 156 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 in April 2004.

Mr. Lepper

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how often the Public Sector Leasehold Working Party has met; when it last met; and when he expects it to meet again. [152296]

Keith Hill

The Public Sector Leasehold Working Party first met in February 2002. Since then six meetings have been held, the last of which was on 16 May 2003. Dates for future meetings have not been decided.

Mr. Lepper

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the terms of reference of the Public Sector Leasehold Working Party are; to whom it reports; and if he will make a statement. [152297]

Keith Hill

The terms of reference for the public sector leasehold working party are:

  1. 1. To identify and review problems faced by social sector leaseholders in relation to the repair or renovation of Local Authority and RSL stock; in particular, any arising from:
    1. (a) the practical application of forthcoming amendments to Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (to be made by the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, when enacted) in relation to costs incurred under long term agreements;
    2. (b) the framing of regulations under the proposed subsections 7, 8, 9 and 10 and the financial limits to be applied;
    3. (c) the extent to which leaseholders are required to meet the cost of such works, with particular reference to long standing dilapidation, improvements, grounds and roads and utility services;
    4. (d) the effect of existing measures to minimise the cost to leaseholders, including the capping of service charges;
    5. (e) any differences in treatment between different schemes and the rationale for such differences;
    6. (f) social landlord accounting practices, service charge statements and the maintenance and auditing of Housing Revenue Accounts and analogous funds;
    7. (g) differences in services supplied by private sector and social landlords, and the services for which public sector leaseholders should reasonably be expected to pay;
    8. (h) the particular problems of managing social housing stock with minority leaseholder tenure and consider possible solutions.
  2. 2. To consider possible changes to address issues identified under 1. above.

The Working Party reports ultimately to me through the Head of Housing Private Sector Division.