HC Deb 23 February 1948 vol 447 c1613 The following Questions stood upon the Order Paper: 49. MR. PETER FREEMAN—TO ask the Lord President of the Council whether he will announce the names of the members of the Committee formed by the Lord Chancellor for the inquiry into leasehold reform; their terms of reference; and when they will commence their meetings. 50. MR. GEORGE THOMAS—To ask the Lord President of the Council the names of the persons selected to serve on the Advisory Committee set up in connection with the anomalies of the leasehold system and the precise terms of reference given to this Committee.
Mr. H. Morrison

In view of the public interest involved, I think it right to give to the House the answer to Questions 49 and 50. My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor has now set up a Committee to consider various questions affecting leases of both residential and business premises in England and Wales. The Chairman will be Lord Uthwatt, and I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of the other members and the Committee's terms of reference. The Committee will begin work immediately.

Following is the information:

Leasehold Committee

The Lord Chancellor has appointed the Rt. Hon. Lord Uthwatt (Chairman), Miss Helen Alford, Mr. E. Roderic Bowen, M.P., Mr. Edward Bailey Gillett, Mr. C. L. Hale, M.P., Mr. Alfred George Harfield, Sir Edwin S. Herbert, Mr. Selwyn Lloyd, C.B.E., K.C., M,P., Mr. W. B. Reddaway, and Mr. A. L. Ungoed-Thomas, K.C., M.P., to be a Committee with the following terms of reference: To consider and report on the following questions, in so far as they affect England and Wales:
  1. (1) Whether, and in what circumstances, and on what terms an occupying tenant of residential or other premises should be given the right to purchase compulsorily the freehold and any other prior interests in the premises, and to consider any other aspects of the problem of leasehold enfranchisement.
  2. (2) Whether and in what circumstances an occupying tenant of business premises, including premises used for any business, trade or professional purpose, should be given security of tenure such as is at present enjoyed by tenants of premises which are subject to the Rent Restriction Acts
  3. (3) Whether it is desirable and practicable to control rents charged for business premises and if so by what means
  4. (4) Whether the rights of a landlord to impose and enforce covenants to repair should be further restricted and in what manner.
  5. (5) Whether further provision should be made for giving to tenants a right of compensation for improvements on the termination of their tenancies
  6. (6) Any matters arising out of or connected with these questions; and
to make interim reports on any matter or matters arising out of these terms of reference which may from time to time appear to merit immediate attention or to warrant separate treatment The Lord Chancellor has appointed Mrs. Hobsbawm of the Board of Trade and Mr. Richard Thesiger of the Lord Chancellor's Department to be Secretary and Assistant Secretary respectively of the Committee.