HC Deb 24 June 1969 vol 785 cc1188-9
20. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will state the average percentage increase in rents fixed by the rent assessment committees in London, Birmingham, Southampton and each of the London boroughs respectively, and that for the rest of the country and for the whole country to the latest convenient date, compared with the previous controlled rents of these dwellings.

Mr. MacColl

As I told my hon. Friend in reply to his Questions on 19th June, this information is not available since the statistical material on tenancies for which rents have been registered under the rent regulation machinery does not indicate whether a tenancy was previously controlled.

Mr. Allaun

Since certain rent assessment committees are clearly influenced by the high current rents caused by the housing shortage, will my hon. Friend draw their attention to the fact that they are not conforming with the letter or the intention of the Rent Act?

Mr. MacColl

My right hon. Friend is aware of some of the problems which arise and keeps them in the front of his mind, but a general indication of that sort would not be justified by the evidence.

Mr. Gresham Cooke

Will the Minister also bear in mind that private landlords of controlled premises have had a very unfair deal over the past 20 years and have not been able to bring property up to date as they would have wished? Is he aware that in some foreign countries there are automatic rent increases by law right across the board for public and private landlords?

Mr. MacColl

It is true that on both the landlords' and the tenants' side there are hard cases. The great advantage of the 1965 Act was that it took a lot of the bitterness out of landlord and tenant relationships.

Mr. R. C. Mitchell

Will my hon. Friend have another look at the possibility of providing legal aid for tenants appearing before rent assessment committees?

Mr. MacColl

My right hon. Friend is at present discussing the pilot surveyors' aid scheme which was introduced in London to see what lessons it has for the rest of the country.