§ 31. Sir T. Mooreasked the Minister of Agriculture whether consideration has been given to the rents charged by the Commissioners of Crown Lands in respect of dwelling-houses partly uninhabitable through enemy action; and, if so, what reductions it is proposed to make?
§ The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. R. S. Hudson)The Commissioners of Crown Lands are bound by the Landlord and Tenant legislation relating to War Damage, and provision is made in the Landlord and Tenant (War Damage) Act, 1939, for cases where dwelling-houses are "unfit" but part of them are capable of beneficial occupation. In such cases, the Commissioners have in several instances agreed rents with their tenants without reference to the Court. The amount of the rent, of course, depends upon the circumstances of each case.
§ Sir T. MooreDid my right hon. Friend notice that in the Question I said, "partly uninhabitable," because, as he knows, there are many houses in which the windows have been knocked out so completely that it is not feasible to replace them; and does he think it right that people should be paying for amenities and facilities which do not exist?
§ Mr. HudsonI should like to have particulars of the cases which my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind. In my own house the windows have been blown out three times, and I have replaced them and still pay the rent.