Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to require whoever is Chair of the Leasehold Advisory Service to have no business interests in the leasehold sector.

The terms and conditions of appointment confirm that the Chair of the Leasehold Advisory Service must declare any personal or business interests which may, or may be perceived to, influence their judgements in performing their functions. These interests are included in a register of interests maintained by LEASE which the Chair is obliged to keep up to date. Should a particular matter give rise to conflict of interest, the Chair is required to inform the Board in advance and withdraw from discussions or consideration of the matter. With these safeguards in place we do not consider it necessary to require the Chair to have no business interests in the leasehold sector.