HC Deb 22 July 1964 vol 699 cc477-8
34. Mrs. Hart

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an undertaking that the rents of managerial houses in East Kilbride will not be further increased before October, 1964, and that the prices of any which may be offered for sale to the present tenants will not exceed £4,500 in price.

Mr. G. Campbell

Rent and sale terms for these houses are the responsibility of the development corporation, and this is consequently not a matter in which my right hon. Friend can give undertakings.

Mrs. Hart

May I assure the Under-Secretary that it should be a matter for his right hon. Friend, for the reason that I have received a letter, which is one of many, from one of the most senior managers of one of the biggest firms in East Kilbride telling me that the attitude of the Development Corporation in causing it to be thought—I put it no higher than that—that the selling price of some of the managerial houses which were built for rent in 1950 and 1951 is likely to be as high as £6,000–£7,000 and that this attitude of the Development Corporation—I quote from the letter— is causing a deep feeling of resentment and distrust among company executives and notable people and can only lead to statements and actions which could certainly be detrimental to new industry coming into the town "? I claim that this means that the Secretary of State should be interested. I ask him to be interested, and I ask the hon. Gentleman to give me his undertaking that nothing will happen before the General Election.

Mr. Campbell

My right hon. Friend would seek to intervene only if he thought that the Development Corporation was not acting reasonably. The Development Corporation's policy is to obtain at least a fully economic return on these houses because they are designed for tenants with larger incomes. Standard subsidised houses are available for those who cannot pay higher rents.