To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local authorities have implemented large scale voluntary housing transfers (LSVTs) since 1997; how many have been rejected by tenants; how many have put up proposals for large scale voluntary transfers; and how many have not yet registered their interest. [126421]

86 local authorities have completed 117 large scale voluntary transfers since 1 April 1997. During this period, tenants have not supported the transfer proposal in 23 ballots. There are 38 transfer schemes in progress. Housing transfer is one of three options available to authorities for meeting the decent home target where additional resources are required. By July 2005, all stock-owning authorities are required to have completed an investment option appraisal, with the full involvement of tenants, to decide on the best means of meeting the decent home target for their stock. These investment option appraisals must be signed off by the relevant Government Office for the Regions.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how many applications for large scale voluntary transfers of council housing have been accepted by his Department; and what arrangements at what cost have been made in each case for write-off or reduction of overcharging housing debt; [126422](2) how much he estimates will be provided in

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has accepted 268 applications for large-scale voluntary transfer of council housing since 1988. When an authority transfers all its housing stock it is expected to use the receipt to meet any debt liability. Of the 173 transfers that have taken place to date, there have been 10 transfers where the receipt was insufficient and the office made an overhanging debt payment. The payments are tabled as follows:

Financial year	Local authority	£ million
1999–2000	Burnley	21.0
2001–02	Coventry	111.7
2001–02	Calderdale	64.6
2001–02	Blackburn with Darwen	78.9
2002–03	St. Helens	87.2
2002–03	Redcar and Cleveland	25.4
2002–03	Knowsley	126.1
2002–03	Carlisle	18.0
2002–03	Bradford	182.8
2002–03	Walsall	108.7

The projected overhanging debt payments have reduced to £24 million for 2003–04 and are estimated at £500 million for 2004–05. These are likely to change as details of transfer proposals are finalised. These payments reflect the liability the office would have had to meet as ongoing Housing Revenue Account (HRA) subsidy if these authorities retained their stock. In respect of the authorities liable to require overhanging debt payments over the two years concerned, the total estimated provision for the Major Repairs Allowances (MRA) within the Housing Revenue Account subsidy is £124.2 million in 2003–04 and £122.3 million in 2004–05.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proposals he has for issuing to each tenant balloted in large scale voluntary housing transfers a statement of the benefits they will receive from a yes vote and the extra spending it will bring for repairs and improvements. [126423]

None. Local authorities are required by section 106, and schedule 3A to, the Housing Act 1985 to serve notice of the details of the transfer proposal, including the identity of the new landlord and the likely consequences of the disposal for the tenant, to all secure and introductory tenants.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what sanctions are imposed on housing associations which do not fulfil promises made to tenants in large scale voluntary transfers of council housing; what redress is available to tenants in the event of such transfers; and how many complaints have been made to his Department about such purchases in the last five years. [126425]

The Housing Corporation is responsible for regulating all Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), commonly known as housing associations. RSLs are required to adhere to the Housing Corporation's

Price per dwelling, in large scale voluntary transfers since April 2001
Authority	Date of transfer	Price per dwelling (£)1
Derbyshire Dales	4 March 2002	7,616
Chelmsford BC	11 March 2002	11,530
East Hertfordshire DC (split transfer)	18 March 2002	11,937
		13,725
Erewash BC	25 March 2002	6,460
Reigate and Banstead BC	25 March 2002	13,212
St. Edmundsbury	24 June 2002	7,489
Vale Royal BC	1 July 2002	7,462
St. Helen's MBC	1 July 2002	1,974
Redcar and Cleveland BC	15 July 2002	5,180
Knowsley MBC	15 July 2002	1,794
LB Waltham Forest	30 September 2002	832
LB Hackney cc sheltered stock	14 October 2002	-1,514
LB Harrow	14 October 2002	-3,642
Manchester cc Langley Estate	18 November 2002	-342
County of Herefordshire C	25 November 2002	6,945
Carlisle CC	9 December 2002	1,803
Rushcliffe BC	20 January 2003	12,934
Liverpool CC Eastern Fringe (south)	23 January 2003	1,800
Liverpool CC Eastern Fringe (central)	30 January 2003	-1,378
City of Bradford	24 February 2003	2,831
Amber Valley BC	24 February 2003	5,077
Crewe and Nantwich BC	10 March 2003	6,181
Liverpool CC	10 March 2003	-728
Oldham MBC Limeside (Hollins/The Avsnues)	17 March 2003	-1,577
Walsall MBC (majority of stock)	27 March 2003	1,026
Walsall MBC (tenant managed stock)	27 March 2003	-0.03
Craven DC	31 March 2003	5,201
Forest of Dean DC	31 March 2003	6,849
North Hertfordshire DC	31 March 2003	3,128
1 Negative value figures indicate a dowry payment from the local authority to the acquiring registered social landlord.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether consultants and tenants' friends employed on large scale voluntary transfer proposals for council housing are (a) approved, (b) nominated and (c) paid for by his Department; what steps he takes to ensure their impartiality; and whether any have recommended that the large scale voluntary transfer should not proceed. [126561]

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was paid to each local authority per council house that has opted for large scale voluntary transfer of its council stock in each of the last two years. [126558]

To reflect the intended continued use of the properties for social housing the price paid to each local authority per council house accords with a Tenanted Market Value (TMV) rather than an open market value. Tabled are the price paid per dwelling in each large scale voluntary transfer since April 2001 in accordance with this valuation method.

Both consultants and tenant advisers are employed and paid for by the local authority. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister guidance is that they should be chosen through a competitive process. The role of the tenant adviser is to offer impartial advice and support to the tenants and leaseholders about the proposals being draw up. This is set out in guidance on the recruitment and role of the tenant adviser issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.The nature of any work being undertaken by a consultant will depend on the nature of the contract with the local authority. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister would not necessarily know where a consultant had advised an authority.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) whether publicity polling and consultancy fees for voluntary transfers of council housing stock can be financed out of the local housing revenue account;[126565](2) what estimate he has made of the costs of publicity polling, publishing information, consultancy fees and preparation and polling processes for large scale voluntary transfer of council housing pools over the last 12 months; and how much of this has been paid for by

Expenditure incurred in carrying out the statutory consultation required under section 106A of the Housing Act 1985, including the cost of any ballot, is considered to be in connection with the management of dwellings held within the Housing Management Account and therefore must be charged to that account.No payment is made by central Government towards the cost of such consultation and figures for the total expenditure on this by local authorities are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.