§ 4. Mr. Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent he will permit the new town development corporations to alter or modify the new proposals laid before them for rent increases.
§ Mr. MaclayThe new rent schemes which I have approved for East Kilbride and Glenrothes were formulated in detail by the development corporations themselves, in the light of my known views on the extent to which their existing rents should be revised.
§ Mr. HamiltonWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the Question? I have asked him whether he is prepared to accept some alteration or modification of the scheme. Will he say "Yes" or "No" to that straight question?
§ Mr. MaclayThe position is that the corporations have not put to me latterly any detailed proposals for alteration. I cannot answer a hypothetical question.
§ Mr. HamiltonIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Minister of State made it quite clear in the meetings with the development corporations that they could choose to regard this as a directive?
§ Mr. MaclayIn my previous Answer on another occasion, I made it plain that 171 I had given a very clear indication of what I thought would happen, but that there was no formal direction.
§ 7. Mr. Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT figures showing how much is paid per week in rent and rates for houses of varying sizes in the New Towns; what were the comparable figures for 1950, 1951, 1953 and 1955; and what he estimates will be the average percentage
| AVERAGE WEEKLY CHARGES FOR RENT AND RATES (See Note 1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| — | 2-apartment houses | 3-apartment houses | |||||||||||||||||
| Rent | Rates | Total | Rent | Rates | Total | ||||||||||||||
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | ||
| Glenrothes: | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1950 | … | No houses | No houses | ||||||||||||||||
| 1951 | … | 8 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | |||||||||||
| 1953 | … | 4 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 9 | |||||
| 1955 | … | 5 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |||||
| 1957 | … | 5 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 4 | |||||
| New scales (see Note 2) | … | 10 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 8 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 2 | ||||
| East Kilbride: | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1950 | … | 7 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | |||||
| 1951 | … | 6 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 18 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |||||
| 1953 | … | 4 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | ||||
| 1955 | … | 5 | 1 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 0 | ||||
| 1957 | … | 3 | 9 | 17 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | |||
| New scales (see Note 2) | … | 9 | 3 | 17 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 9 | |||
| — | 4-apartment houses | 5-apartment houses | |||||||||||||||||
| Rent | Rates | Total | Rent | Rates | Total | ||||||||||||||
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | ||
| Glenrothes: | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1950 | … | No houses | No houses | ||||||||||||||||
| 1951 | … | 9 | 5 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | ||||
| 1953 | … | 6 | 10 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 3 | |||
| 1955 | … | 7 | 8 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 11 | |||
| 1957 | … | 7 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 3 | |||
| New scales (see No | … | 13 | 10 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 9 | |||
| East Kilbride: | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1950 | … | 9 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 16 | 0 | l | 7 | 4 | ||||
| 1951 | … | 9 | 4 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 3 | ||||
| 1953 | … | 6 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 3 | ||
| 1955 | … | 6 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 10 | ||
| 1957 | … | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 8 | l | 13 | 6 | ||
| New scales (see Note 2) | … | 12 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 11 | ||
| NOTES: | |||||||||||||||||||
| (1) The figures of rates shown in the above table for the years 1950, 1951, 1953 and 1955 represent the total burden of rates payable, which in those years were borne in equal portions by the Development Corporation and the tenant; the figures of rent shown for these years represent the net return to the Corporation after they had met their liability for owners' rates. As from 15th May, 1957, rates are borne wholly by the tenant occupier. | |||||||||||||||||||
| (2) No estimate can at present be made for the effect of rebates from rent under the rebate schemes which are linked with the new rent scales. |
§ increase over the 1957 figure on the assumption that the proposed new scales of rents come into effect in the near future.
§ Mr. MaclayI am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT the figures for which the hon. Member asks. It is not possible to estimate the extent to which rebates from rent wil be granted under the new schemes, but disregarding this factor the average increase in total weekly charge will be about 24 per cent.
§ Following are the figures: