The New Housing Partnership funding framework including support for wholesale stock transfers was in place when this administration came to power. The general objectives of the policy are unchanged and so we have not canvassed further views from organisations or individuals. Where a council decides to develop a transfer proposal all the parties involved will have every opportunity to make their views known in the course of the consultation process and a transfer will not proceed without the support of tenants.

The framework document published on 10 April makes clear that funders will wish to see in place a financial model and cost benefit framework that allows all investment decisions, including those relating to multi-storey flats, to be appraised rigorously. Tenants will be fully involved in these investment decisions.

Informal discussions were held with a number of lenders during the preparation of the framework document published on 10 April. These included Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland, Halifax plc, Nationwide Building Society and the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

The framework document published on 10 April set out the composition of the Interim Management Committee of the Glasgow Housing Association, and listed the organisations invited to nominate representatives to it. The document was agreed by the members of the Glasgow Steering Group, which included the Executive.

The appointment of a chief executive is a matter for the Interim Management Committee of the Glasgow Housing Association which has now been established.

I met with representatives from the STUC and Glasgow's Joint Trades Union Committee on 6 April, prior to the publication of the framework document on 10 April.

Proposed rental regimes are a matter for each landlord(s) to decide and their proposals will be fully set out for tenants before any proposal to transfer goes to ballot. The rental policy will be set out in the tenancy agreement and provision can be made in the contract of sale on issues relating to the rental policy. There is of course no rental guarantee structure under current housing provision by local authorities.

Two lending organisations have responded to the Executive's proposals and expressed a reservation over retrospection, a subsidiary matter to the main proposal and one on which we have always indicated our intention to consult.

Ministers receive and consider recommendations of the New Housing Partnerships Steering Group. They do not attend meetings of the group.

In response to bids from councils, the New Housing Partnerships Steering Group recommended the earmarking of resources for councils which are considering or progressing stock transfer proposals. The group's decisions were set out in the February 1999 Report of the NHP Steering Group, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. I am not aware of any council progressing its proposals without the appropriate approval. However any council can launch stock transfer proposals without NHP funding.