§ Q10. Mr. M. Stewartasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the uncertainty among tenants about their legal rights, their inability to obtain police protection and their fear of further decontrol of rents, and that this results from a lack of co-ordinated activity among the departments concerned; and whether he will co-ordinate joint action to be taken by the Home Secretary, the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs and the Law Officers of the Crown, so that anxiety on this point may be allayed.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friends are in close and constant touch on all these matters and I see no need to intervene myself.
§ Mr. StewartIs the Prime Minister aware that the fear of further decontrol in future is inhibiting some tenants from claiming necessary repairs or otherwise claiming their legal rights? Therefore, in the unlikely event of the Government winning the next General Election, is it their intention to extend rent decontrol to houses of lower rateable value than that which at present applies?
§ The Prime MinisterI can hardly be expected to answer a question the hypothesis of which is so unsound.
§ Mr. Graham PageWill my right hon. Friend confirm that during the six years from 1945 to 1951 only three Bills for the benefit of tenants became law but that during the last six years under Conservative Governments no fewer than two a year for the benefit of tenants have become law—statutory repairs obligations on landlords, compulsory purchase orders for the benefit of tenants, multi-occupation regulations, standard amenities, improvement grants and many others? Have not the Conservative Government on every occasion given local authorities the power to enforce these for the benefit of tenants who are too nervous to enforce them themselves?
Finally, if there is any uncertainty among the tenants about their legal rights, is it not the fault of the Leader of the Opposition who had forgotten to do his homework?
§ The Prime MinisterI welcome that interesting statement of our very good record.
Mr. H. WilsonIn view of the remarkable legislative record to which the Prime Minister's attention has been drawn, is it not clear that what we want is fewer ineffective Bills to protect tenants and one really effective Bill which will protect them? On the last point raised by the hon. Member for Crosby (Mr. Graham Page), will the Prime Minister make it clear that the Minister of Housing and Local Government and I were in agreement on this issue during the debate and that the Minister did not seem to know of the non-existent powers of local authorities to which the hon. Member has drawn attention?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that every one has been able either to hear or to read the debate and to draw his own conclusions.