§ 7. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he has considered the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, together with the enclosed from Mr. D. L. Lee, showing that local rent officers in the London Borough of Newham have increased rents of slum properties scheduled for demolition, where no repairs or decorations have been carried out, internally or externally, by the owners for years past, from £2 18s. per week, inclusive, to £3 per week exclusive; and, at these rents are exorbitant for slum properties situated in slum areas, what action he proposes to take.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Mr. James MacColl)It would not be right for me to discuss tthe merits of individual decisions. If a tenant or a landlord disagrees with a rent officer's decision he can object to it and have the case referred to a rent assessment committee. I understand that in some of the cases to which my hon. Friend refers the tenants have already objected and their cases will therefore be considered by a committee.
§ Mr. LewisIs my hon. Friend aware that the objectives of the Act are being overcome in as much as exorbitant values are being used, sometimes unknowingly, by rent officers because properties becoming vacant in the area have exorbitant rents charged for them and these come to be regarded as area rents? Will he look at this again?
§ Mr. MacCollMy right hon. Friend is keeping the working of the Act under review and we have no evidence that what my hon. Friend says is correct.