§ 24. Mr. Liptonasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will arrange for annual reviews of the effects of he Rent Act, 1957, in the London area.
§ Mr. BrookeNo, Sir. More valuable than annual reviews on a sample basis will be the comprehensive information about the whole housing situation which the 1961 census and the revaluation of house property on a current rental basis will provide.
§ Mr. LiptonThat will take many years to reach us. Since the Minister agreed with me only last week that there is a serious housing situation in London, and since the last survey was completed as long ago as May, 1959, and is, therefore, very much out of date, will he at least have another survey to ascertain the grim facts of the situation? Is it not inhuman to ignore the desperation of the growing number of victimised tenants who are now even afraid to complain?
§ Mr. BrookeI am sorry to differ from the hon. Gentleman, but I really think that we shall gain the best picture of the housing situation in London not by continuing to make a review of a limited sample first surveyed in 1957 but by looking at the whole situation as the census and the revaluation will reveal it.