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Lords Amendment: No. 18 in page 12, line 24, at end insert:
(1A) Where a rating authority wish to make arrangements with a housing body under subsection (1) above but the housing body have not agreed to enter into the arrangements, the Secretary of State may by order, made after consultation with the rating authority and the housing body, provide that the rating authority and the housing body shall make such arrangements in accordance with that subsection.
(1B) A statutory instrument containing an order under subsection (1A) above shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
§ Mr. MillanI beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
We are dealing here with the clause which provides for arrangements to be made between a rating authority and a housing authority for the collection of rates along with rents. The amendment ensures that a housing body—which could be a new town corporation or the SSHA—may be required to collect rates as agent of a rating authority.
As the clause stands, it allows rating authorities to make arrangements for the collection of rates along with rent on their behalf by housing bodies willing to undertake the job. We envisage no difficulty and do not wish to impose a duty on a housing body to collect rates. On the other hand, there may be circumstances in which it would be desirable that the collection of rents should take place along with rates where the rating authority may wish that to happen and where the housing body has refused the request of the rating authority.
The amendment will allow the Secretary of State a locus in this matter so 390 that, if necessary, if it seems reasonable to him to do so, after consulting the bodies concerned, he can issue a statutory order which would be subject to the negative procedure. The amendment tightens up the clause and provides an acceptable provision in the interests of ratepayers who are also tenants and are anxious to pay their rents and rates in one payment and not by separate sums.
§ Question put and agreed to.