§ 15. Mr. Adam Hunterasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied that the rent assessment committees under the Rent Act, 1965, are functioning in accordance with the purpose of the Act by fixing fair rents for landlord and tenant alike; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossYes, Sir. I consider that the committees are doing satisfactorily what the Act requires of them.
§ Mr. HunterIs my right hon. Friend aware that information has reached me that rent assessment committees are fixing rents far higher than those recommended by the rent officers? Is he also aware that, in effect, this means that certain tenants are being evicted because of lack of money to pay the new rents? Will he look further into this?
§ Mr. RossI will be glad to look further into this matter but my information is that greater use of the rent officer system is being made by those landlords whose rents are relatively low in order to increase them. Among those increases taken to appeal, 37 per cent. were in respect of rents which were under 10s. a week and 43 per cent. were rents between 10s. and £1 a week.