21. Mrs. Butlerasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will reconsider his decision not to entertain as a general rule applications for compulsory purchase orders by local authorities in cases where a new tenant has recently taken on the tenancy or entered into an agreement to pay the rent in question.
§ Mr. BrookeNo, Sir.
Mrs. ButlerIs the Minister aware that many of these new tenancies are being taken up by tenants who were evicted under the Rent Act and homeless families are having to pay exorbitant rents in order to have a roof over their heads? Does he not realise that his refusal to entertain compulsory purchase orders in these cases is encouraging landlords to charge extortionate rents, particularly now since they know that he has indicated that he will not approve a C.P.O. in a case in Wood Green where the rent was between 13 and 14 times the gross value?
§ Mr. BrookeI do not know why any tenant has agreed to pay 13 times the gross value Unquestionably, it would have been possible, if he had looked further, to find accommodation available at a far lower rent than that. I invite the hon. Lady's attention to my statement that I would not as a general rule entertain applications of this character. I stand by those words—"as a general rule".
§ Mr. M. StewartDoes the Minister really not know why people sometimes enter into agreements to pay exorbitant rents when they have responsibilities to their families and they feel that they must find some sort of roof for themselves? This kind of thing is happening with regrettable frequency. Since he says that he will not entertain applications as a general rule, will he indicate the kind of circumstances which would lead him to entertain such an application?
§ Mr. BrookeNo. I certainly must not prejudice my consideration of any orders which may be submitted to me. I repeat that anybody who has not been able to find any property in the market at less than 13 times the gross value cannot have looked very far.