HC Deb 05 June 1957 vol 571 cc1223-4
Mr. Orbach

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to present a humble Petition on the Rent Bill, the purport of which is the same as that of Petitions presented by many hon. Members on this side of the House, on behalf of thousands of citizens of the Borough of Hampstead. These citizens have already appealed to the Minister, who is the right hon. Member representing that borough in this House. They feel that the proposals of the Minister and of Her Majesty's Government in the Rent Bill now before Parliament threaten the wellbeing and happiness of many thousands of families in the borough. The decontrol and insecurity of tenure embraced by that Measure are bound to inflict misery and hardship, and are the cause of great anxiety and foreboding. The Petitioners already have many instances of the activities of rent "sharks" and property racketeers who are anticipating the passage of the Bill.

I also present a Petition from the citizens of the Borough of Willesden in similar terms.

The Petitions conclude: Wherefore your Petitioners pray that the Bill be so amended that tenants shall not be evicted from their homes unless equivalent or alternative accommodation is provided; that rents shall not be increased unless dwellings are in good habitable repair with reasonable amenities; and that in default of these small amendments the Bill shall be rejected. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.

To lie upon the Table.

Mr. Lewis

With your permission, Mr. Speaker and that of the House I desire to present a humble Petition to the honourable Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled, on behalf of many constituents of the right hon Member for Luton (Dr. Hill), the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. In view of the fact that the terms of the Petition are almost identical with those of the Petitions presented by my hon. Friend the Member for Willesden, East (Mr. Orbach) I shall not trouble to read the Petition, but I trust that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will see that it is given due publicity.

The Petition concludes: And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

To lie upon the Table.