Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Foster of Bath and Dan Rogerson

Monday 8th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Foster]

I am delighted that a large number of community rights to bid have registered for local community assets, and I urge more people to do so. The hon. Lady will be aware that the right to bid is just that and should not alter the price because the community are not guaranteed to be able to buy that particular asset. It will go out to public tender, and anybody can apply.

[Dan Rogerson (North Cornwall) (LD)]

My right hon. Friend had the opportunity to visit St Eval on his recent visit to North Cornwall, and he knows that that community is hoping to bid for assets although it was not able to meet the Ministry of Defence deadline. Will he keep under review the correlation between sources of public funding that are available to such groups, so that the timetables can align and they do not miss the opportunity to bid?

[Mr Foster]

I certainly will, and I congratulate the people in St Eval for the enormously good work they are doing defending and providing real facilities for their local community. I will, of course, keep under review the issues raised by my hon. Friend.