§ 2. Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to protect mobile home residents in Wales from recent increases in rent payments.
§ The Minister of State, Welsh Office (Mr. Gibson Watt)There are no proposals at present for legislating on caravan sites.
§ Mr. JohnDoes the hon. Gentleman not realise that in the last 18 months mobile home residents, many of whom are retired people, have faced rent increases of 60 per cent. and more? Furthermore, does he not realise that they also face a future in which the site owner has an unchecked right to impose any rises that he thinks fit? Does the hon. Gentleman not think it is high time that the Government, in consultation with the site owners, reached an agreement to limit the extent 4 of rises which can be imposed in this way?
§ Mr. Gibson-WattI think the hon. Gentleman accepts the answer to his original question, that legislation is probably not the best way to deal with this matter. The most realistic way of helping caravan occupiers is, as he said, to have discussion and agreement between representatives of the parties concerned.
§ Mr. George ThomasIs the Minister of State aware that by no means do we accept that legislation is not necessary? The Government must not wash their hands of the plight of caravan owners all over Wales, and particularly in my own constituency, where they are being forced to pay exorbitant increases in rent because there is no legal protection for them.
Mr. Gisbon-WattThe right hon. Gentleman will be aware that under the Caravan Sites Act 1968, which was passed by the previous administration, no provision was made to include measures for controlling site rents.