HC Deb 26 March 1968 vol 761 cc1150-1
17. Mr. Allason

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the New Towns Commission is granting leases of houses subject to a condition that rental shall be paid to a firm, British Relay Television Limited regardless of whether or not the service is required; and whether he will forbid this practice.

Mr. MacColl

I understand that the New Towns Commission has arranged for a television relay service by this firm to all the houses on one of its new estates at Hemel Hempstead so that individual aerials are not required. The annual charge is paid by the Commission, and recouped out of the rents of all the houses on the estate. This is a matter of local housing management which is properly left to the Commission to settle.

Mr. Allason

Is it not quite wrong, in recouping this money, to charge those who do not wish to accept the service? I quite accept that it is all right for those who want the service to pay for it, but why should it be a condition of tenancy that one has to pay £4 a year when one does not require the service?

Mr. MacColl

I understand that the individual tenants are not obliged to rent a receiver from the particular firm.

Mr. Wellbeloved

Will the Parliamentary Secretary hold an inquiry into this business of radio relays? Is he aware that in my constituency, at Thamesmead, the Greater London Council has given an exclusive radio relay to Rediffusion, and that this is causing considerable concern, as a lot of people feel that this is the payoff for the substantial contributions that this company has made to Tory Party funds?

Mr. MacColl

I do not think that aplies to the New Towns Commission. I do not think that it has been contributing to the Tory Party funds.

18. Mr. Allason

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that those tenants of the New Towns Commission at Hemel Hempstead whose rent is based on no element of subsidy are being charged an increase in rent to contribute a subsidy for council housing; and whether he will draw the attention of the New Towns Commission to the unfairness of this charge.

Mr. MacColl

I see no unfairness, for the reason given my reply to the hon. Member's previous Question on 20th February. [Vol. 759, c. 49.]

Mr. Allason

While the whole House no doubt accepts the idea of balancing Commission and council house rents for some purposes, and thereby necessitating a payment from the Commission to the council, surely it is wrong that unsubsidised house tenants, who are paying a far higher rent, should also have to pay an additional subsidy to the Commission and hence to the council?

Mr. MacColl

This is a reasonable arrangement. Subsidy is paid on all these houses, but what particular rents are charged is a matter for the Commission, under its powers, to decide.