awaiting completion and boroughs had failed to issue 12,811 RTB2 and S125 notices within the statutory time limits. More than half the overdue notices were in Lambeth, Hackney, Brent, Southwark and Hounslow.

The information collected about the use of the new tenant's sanction measures shows that 12 boroughs received no notices of delay, but tenant's sanction notices have been used extensively in boroughs where the number of overdue cases is high. In a single month, 18 boroughs received 271 initial notices (RTB6) and 53 operative notices of delay (RTB8). Another borough estimated that it had received 1,305 initial notices and 780 operative notices between March and November.

The most common reason for serving initial notices was delay in completing sales, followed by delays in advising tenants of the price and other terms of sale (S125 notice) and by delays in confirming the existence of a right to buy (RTB2 notice).

The Department has been receiving monthly reports from 12 monitored boroughs. The number of overdue RTB2 and S125 notices in these boroughs fell by 25 per cent. between March and September. The measures introduced last March have not only given tenants a sanction against unreasonable delays, but they have encouraged local authorities to improve their right to buy performance.

I have decided that monthly monitoring should continue for Brent, Camden, Hackney, Haringey, Hounslow, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Richmond, Southwark and Tower Hamlets. Hammersmith, Waltham Forest, Ealing and Hillingdon, not monitored at the moment, are being asked to provide right to buy information for three months so that I can decide whether they should be monitored.

Notes

(i) Bexley and Redbridge sell properties under the general consent rather than the right to buy legislation. Information here is based on equivalent stages to the right to buy process.

(ii) Tower Hamlets were unable to provide complete information due to industrial action. Figures are for 4 of their neighbourhoods.

(iii) Cumulative right to buy sales are from the table 2 statistics on right to buy and other council house sales.

Notes:

(i) the following boroughs received no delay notices: City, Barking, Barnet, Bexley, Croydon, Harrow, Havering, Kensington, Kingston, Merton, Redbridge and Westminster.

(ii) Lambeth estimated that 1,305 RTB6s and 780 RTB8s were received between March and November 1989, ie 145 and 65 per month on average respectively.

(iii) Haringey and Southwark were unable to provide information in the form requested.

(iv) The figures for Tower Hamlets relate to 4 of their 7 neighbourhoods.