§ 73. Mr. Gammansasked the Minister of Health if it was with his sanction that the Harrow Council raised the rents by is. per week from 1st April of all its houses and flats in order to cover the increased costs of repairs; and what additional repairs have to be undertaken by this council as compared with a private landlord who is not permitted to raise the rent for such a purpose.
§ Mr. BevanThe power to fix rents for council houses is vested by statute in the local authority themselves, and my sanction was therefore not required.
§ Mr. GammansDoes the Minister propose to seek powers to prevent a local authority doing something for which a private landlord, if he did it, would go to gaol?
§ Mr. BevanI do not propose to seek powers at the moment at all. The power to vary rents charged by local authorities on houses or to fix a maximum for those rents is a matter for a Rent Control Bill which it is not practicable to introduce just now.