29. Captain HERBERTasked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that the capital values of Crown property in Regent Street have been seriously depreciated by the high ground rents fixed during the years 1922–27; that the rack rental cover for such ground rents is in general only 11 times or less; and whether, as such a low cover is not consonant with good estate management, he will, both in the interests of the State and the Crown tenants in Regent Street, reconsider the case of the Regent Street tenants for some concessions, in the light of the advice offered by the Permanent Commissioner of Crown Lands on 15th August last?
§ Major ELLIOTThe questions raised by my hon. and gallant Friend were fully considered following on a deputation which I received from the Regent Street Association on 26th January last, and subsequent correspondence. On 6th April I informed the association that the representations which they had put forward had been carefully examined and had received full consideration, but that the Commissioners of Crown Lands were not able to agree to any revision of the terms of the existing contracts relating to the letting of Crown premises in Regent Street. I can hold out no prospect of that decision being reconsidered.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENDoes not the treatment of the tenants of Regent Street go to prove that a Government Department is always the harshest and cruellest of ground landlords?