§ 21. Mrs. Jean Mannasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish local authorities maintain different rentals between houses built by them and those built by the Scottish Special Housing Association; how many equalise rents by pooling; and what is the average local subsidy required to equalise Scottish Special Housing Association's house rents with those of the local authority.
Mr. McNeilOut of 54 authorities in whose areas the Association have built houses since the war, at least 16 charge rents for their post-war permanent houses which equal or exceed those charged by the Association in their area; in the other areas the local authority rents are lower. In November, 1949, the rents of the Association's post-war permanent houses were 1863 on average £5 higher than those of local authority houses in the same areas. I am advised that it would not be competent under the Housing (Scotland) Acts for local authorities to make payments to the Scottish Special Housing Association with a view to equalising rents.