§ 29. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will issue a statement showing week by week since they started operations the number of determinations of the rent officers, in London and in other areas, stating how many rents have been reduced, increased or kept the same, the numbers of applications for rent changes outstanding, the numbers submitted to the rent assessment committees, the totals of the above weekly figures, and an approximate average of the original rents and of the rents agreed upon and registered.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Mr. James MacColl)With permission, I will circulate the figures in the OFFICIAL, REPORT. As regards rent levels, there have not yet been sufficient determinations by rent assessment committees to enable meaningful comparisons to be made.
§ Mr. AllaunIs my hon. Friend aware that many of us were appalled by the first four decisions of the rent assessment committees sharply increasing the figures fixed by the rent officer, and, in two cases of a very ordinary flat, placing £10 a week including rates on it? It is not clear that they are not excluding the shortage factor which the Act says must be ignored 350 and which accounts for all this housing exploitation?
§ Mr. MacCollI have no reason to suppose that the rent assessment committees ignore the provisions of the Act. I think the number of determinations is too few for one to obtain any clear measure of what is happening.
§ Mr. LubbockCould the hon. Gentleman think of some way of keeping us informed regularly of the figures asked for by the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun) in this Question, perhaps on a monthly basis or even on a quarterly basis?
§ Mr. MacCollWe certainly hope to be able to supply fairly frequently figures relating to what is happening.
§ Mr. LiptonWill my hon. Friend look at some of the extraordinary decisions which have been made by the rent officers in the London Borough of Lambeth where exorbitant rents are being fixed at levels much higher than landlords themselves have asked for in the first instance? Does not this completely defeat the object for which we thought we were putting this Act on the Statute Book?
§ Mr. MacCollIf, as my hon. Friend says, these are determinations of the rent officers, no doubt he will advise his constituents to see that they appeal to the rent assessment committees.
§ Mr. Hector HughesDoes my hon. Friend observe that the Question includes the words "other areas", and will he therefore give the relevant figures for Scotland as well as for England?
§ Mr. MacCollI think it would be more than my life was worth to give any figures for Scotland.
Mr. Gresham CookeDoes not this Act of Parliament bring out what a number of us have been saying for some time, that some of the rents in London have been fixed unrealistically low and that it is quite right that they should be brought to a proper level?
§ Mr. MacCollI say to the hon. Gentleman as I do to my hon. Friends that I think it is too early to try to give a quick generalisation about this situation. I think 351 we should watch the position to see what is happening. It is comforting to see that decisions are going both ways and that landlords as well as tenants are getting unsatisfactory decisions. That may happen when we are reaching a balance.
§ Mr. Sydney SilvermanCan my hon. Friend say whether, under the Act or under the Regulations made under the Act, there is any obligation on these committees to give reasons for the decisions at which they arrive? If there is no such obligation, would it not be a sensible and practical amendment of the law to provide that they should be obliged to give these
| APPLICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF FAIR RENTS RENT ACT 1965 | |||||||
| Determinations by Rent Officers | |||||||
| Rent Assessment Panel Area | Total Determined | Rent Reduced | Rent Unchanged | Rent Increased | Applications outstanding with Rent Officers | References to Rent Assessment Committee | |
| LONDON (In operation from 3rd January, 1966) 1966 | |||||||
| Week ending 8th January | … | 2 | — | 2 | — | 800 | — |
| Week ending 15th January | … | — | — | — | — | 1,555 | — |
| Week ending 22nd January | … | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2,317 | — |
| Week ending 29th January | … | 21 | 20 | — | 1 | 2,849 | — |
| Week ending 5th February | … | 60 | 36 | 8 | 16 | 3,264 | 2 |
| Week ending 12th February | … | 97 | 62 | 15 | 20 | 3,569 | 2 |
| Week ending 19th February | … | 180 | 143 | 13 | 24 | 3,759 | 8 |
| Week ending 26th February | … | 196 | 159 | 18 | 19 | 4,025 | 25 |
| Week ending 5th March | … | 134 | 107 | 9 | 18 | 4,360 | 39 |
| Week ending 12th March | … | 175 | 135 | 20 | 20 | 4,497 | 55 |
| Week ending 19th March | … | 172 | 115 | 26 | 31 | 4,731 | 50 |
| Week ending 26th March | … | 284 | 136 | 104 | 44 | 4,699 | 43 |
| Week ending 2nd April | … | 217 | 142 | 23 | 52 | 4,787 | 46 |
| Week ending 9th April | … | 130 | 99 | 13 | 18 | 4,916 | 62 |
| Week ending 16th April | … | 170 | 100 | 24 | 46 | 4,988 | 33 |
| TOTALS | … | 1,841 | 1,255 | 276 | 310 | — | 365 |
| WEST MIDLAND (In operation from 14th February, 1966) 1966 | |||||||
| Week ending 19th February | … | — | — | — | — | 76 | — |
| Week ending 26th February | … | — | — | — | — | 100 | — |
| Week ending 5th March | … | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 140 | 1 |
| Week ending 12th March | … | 13 | 8 | — | 5 | 179 | — |
| Week ending 19th March | … | 33 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 201 | — |
| Week ending 26th March | … | 27 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 220 | 6 |
| Week ending 2nd April | … | 28 | 18 | 2 | 8 | 233 | 3 |
| Week ending 9th April | … | 16 | 12 | — | 4 | 240 | — |
| Week ending 16th April | … | 59 | 11 | 44 | 4 | 222 | 10 |
| TOTALS | … | 185 | 94 | 57 | 34 | — | 20 |
§ reasons so that comparisons can be made?
§ Mr. MacCollI think that this is controlled by the procedures which are laid down by the president of the panel in each case. So far as I know, there is every intention to supply the fullest information that can be given about what is happening in relation to these decisions.
§ Mr. AllaunIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter at the earliest possible moment.
§ Following are the figures:
353| Determinations by Rent Officers | ||||||||
| Rent Assessment Panel Area | Total Determined | Rent Reduced | Rent Unchanged | Rent Increased | Applications outstanding with Rent Officers | References to Rent Assessment Committee | ||
| YORKSHIRE (In operation from 28th February, 1996) 1996 | ||||||||
| Week ending 5th March | … | … | 1 | — | — | 1 | 72 | — |
| Week ending 12th March | … | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | 122 | — |
| Week ending 19th March | … | … | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 160 | — |
| Week ending 26th March | … | … | 21 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 169 | — |
| Week ending 2nd April | … | … | 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 177 | 3 |
| Week ending 9th April | … | … | 16 | 13 | — | 3 | 168 | 1 |
| Week ending 16th April | … | … | 22 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 169 | 3 |
| TOTALS | … | … | 81 | 51 | 6 | 24 | — | 7 |
| NORTHERN (In operation from 28th February, 1966) 1966 | ||||||||
| Week ending 5th March | … | … | — | — | — | — | 56 | — |
| Week ending 12th March | … | … | 2 | 2 | — | — | 90 | — |
| Week ending 19th March | … | … | 6 | 4 | — | 2 | 167 | — |
| Week ending 26th March | … | … | 11 | 9 | — | 2 | 181 | — |
| Week ending 2nd April | … | … | 20 | 17 | — | 3 | 185 | — |
| Week ending 9th April | … | … | 21 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 181 | 2 |
| Week ending 16th April | … | … | 10 | 8 | — | 2 | 188 | 2 |
| TOTALS | … | … | 70 | 53 | 3 | 14 | — | 4 |
| EAST MIDLAND (In operation from 16th March, 1966) 1966 | ||||||||
| 16th March–26th March | … | … | 1 | — | — | 1 | 47 | — |
| Week ending 2nd April | … | … | 5 | 2 | — | 3 | 76 | — |
| Week ending 9th April | … | … | 4 | 3 | — | 1 | 78 | — |
| Week ending 16th April | … | … | 14 | 10 | — | 4 | 82 | 1 |
| TOTALS | … | … | 24 | 15 | — | 9 | — | 1 |
| BRISTOL (In operation from 16th March, 1966) 1966 | ||||||||
| 16th March–26th March | … | … | 1 | — | — | 1 | 22 | — |
| Week ending 2nd April | … | … | 3 | — | — | 3 | 22 | — |
| Week ending 9th April | … | … | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 24 | — |
| Week ending 16th April | … | … | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 28 | — |
| TOTALS | … | … | 8 | 2 | — | 6 | — | — |
| SURREY AND SUSSEX (In operation from 28th March, 1966) 1966 | ||||||||
| Week ending 2nd April | … | … | — | — | — | — | 63 | — |
| Week ending 9th April | … | … | — | — | — | — | 95 | — |
| Week ending 16th April | … | … | — | — | — | — | 104 | — |
| TOTALS | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Determinations by Rent Officers | ||||||||
| Rent Assessment Panel Area | Total Determined | Rent Reduced | Rent Unchanged | Rent Increased | Applications outstanding with Rent Officers | References to Rent Assessment Committee | ||
| MANCHESTER (In operation from 2nd April, 1966) 1966 | ||||||||
| Week ending 9th April | … | … | — | — | — | — | 66 | — |
| Week ending 16th April | … | … | — | — | — | — | 103 | — |
| TOTALS | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| LIVERPOOL (In operation from 2nd April, 1966) 1966 | ||||||||
| Week ending 9th April | … | … | — | — | — | — | 53 | — |
| Week ending 16th April | … | … | — | — | — | — | 108 | — |
| TOTALS | … | … | — | — | — | — | — | — |