§ 4. Mr. Barnesasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government by what date he has asked the Francis Committee to report on the operation of the Rent Act and the different codes affecting furnished and unfurnished lettings.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Mr. Denis Howell)My right hon. Friend is anxious to have this report as quickly as possible but does not want to set a hard and fast limit to this difficult but important inquiry; I know that the Committee itself wants to move as fast as possible.
§ Mr. BarnesWill the Committee consider evidence provided by Shelter of the inadequate protections for tenants of furnished lettings? In particular, could it consider whether, instead of making a distinction between furnished and unfurnished lettings, it would not be more meaningful to distinguish between lettings which are in the house where the landlord lives and lettings which are in any house he lets off as a business proposition?
§ Mr. HowellWe are anxious that the Committee should consider all the evidence which responsible bodies consider relevant, and I urge Shelter and any other organisation that believes it has some criteria it wants examined to submit its evidence accordingly.
§ Mr. LubbockWill the hon. Gentleman draw the attention of the Committee to the Amendment I moved during the Committee stage of the Rent Act, 1965, which would have assimilated the codes for furnished and unfurnished lettings?
§ Mr. HowellI prefer the hon. Gentleman to draw the Committee's attention to the matter himself, but if he cannot, I will.