Housing Finance Bill (Hansard, 24 April 1972)

§ Mr. David Stoddart

I have been asked, Mr. Speaker, by 3,500 people in Swindon to present to Parliament a petition protesting about the Government's Housing Finance Bill.

The Petition Sheweth that the Government's proposals in the Housing Finance Bill will impose a £1 per week rise in council house rents over the next 18 months, will double the rents of millions of council house tenants, will put millions more tenants both council and private on a means test, and will remove all control of council rents from the local authorities. Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that the House will not pass the Housing Finance Bill. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. I think the House will agree that the petition comes at an appropriate time, bearing in mind that the Report stage of the Housing Finance Bill is to be taken today. I can only hope that the petitioners'plea will be heeded and that the House will reject this odious, class-ridden Bill.