§ 21. Mr. McBrideasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh 16 local authorities have intimated their intention to increase the rents of their houses and flats by 50p per week on 1st April, 1972, under the provisions of the Housing Finance Bill; and which Welsh local authorities which, by reason of not imposing the above increase, will, by the terms of the Bill, have to impose a mandatory increase in the rents of their houses and flats of £1 per week on 1st October, 1972.
§ Mr. Gibson-WattLocal authorities are not required to provide me with this information and none has done so.
§ Mr. McBrideIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in that answer he has dodged his responsibility to Wales? Is he aware that this affects 270,000 local authority dwellings and therefore, at three persons to a house, 800,00 Welsh people? If we assume that half the rents are increased in April and half in October, this means that over £10,400,000 will be taken out of the Welsh economy, making nonsense of the Prime Minister's constant inflation theory. Is not this a clear infringement of the rights of the people, inducing future wage claims? Does not the hon. Gentleman think it a disgrace to be part of a Government which today will seek to impose a timetable on discussion of the Bill?
§ Mr. Gibson-WattI do not know where the hon. Member has got his figures from but I would not accept them. I would only add that local authorities are not obliged to make rent increases before the Housing Finance Bill becomes an Act. However, if they make any increases between 1st October, 1971, and 30th September, 1972, these could count as increases for the purposes of the Bill.
§ Mr. McBrideOn a point of order. May I point out to you, Mr. Speaker, that the retrospective legal provisions of the Bill require increases to be made on 1st April, before it will be enacted?
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is not a matter for me.
§ Mr. Alec JonesWhen the Minister for Housing and Construction can announce in Committee the level of fair rents for many districts in England, why is it that the Minister responsible for housing in Wales cannot give us an idea of the level of fair rents in Wales?
§ Mr. Gibson-WattAs I said in my original answer, local authorities are not required to give me this information, and none has done so.
§ Mr. McBrideOn a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I will seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment as early as possible.