Asked by: Lord Shipley (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to include housing associations and tenant management organisations.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The Government agrees that landlords, including housing associations, should be accountable and transparent in their dealings with tenants and be responsive to their needs. However, we do not believe the extension of the FOI to housing associations is the best means of achieving that.
Housing Associations are already required to make a significant amount of information public. They are required to publish their accounts annually, including a strategic report covering issues such as the remunerations of key personnel.
The Regulator of Social Housing, which regulates the sector, also publishes information supplied by Housing Association at individual provider level, including details of their stock holdings, rent levels and evictions.