asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the reasons for the abolition of the advisory committee on co-operatives; and how much money is expected to be saved in the current financial year by this action.

The committee was set up in 1976 to provide advice on co-operatives to the Housing Corporation and to act as a representative forum for the co-operative housing movement. The corporation has now established its own contacts with individual co-operatives. The savings in a full year are estimated to be about £4,000.