Tenants' Charter (Hansard, 11 January 1978)

§ 18. Mr. Eyre
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of his previous statement, why provision for the introduction of a tenants' charter for council property is not contained in the present Government's legislative programme.

§ 19. Mr. Durant
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of his previous statement, why provision for the introduction of a tenants' charter for council property is not contained in the present Government's legislative programme.

§ Mr. Shore
Before we proceed to legislation I want to give full consideration to the representations received, particularly from local authorities and their tenants. I have not yet completed this study.

§ Mr. Eyre
Does the Secretary of State recall that early last year, when the Government voted down a council tenants' charter Bill introduced from the Opposition side of the House, two ministerial assurances were given that a similar Bill would be introduced by the Government? In view of the Government's reluctance in this respect, will he accept notice of my intention to introduce again a similar Bill?

§ Mr. Shore
We shall obviously consider the content of the Bill when the hon. Gentleman introduces it. I certainly agree 1663 that we said at that time that we were anxious to introduce a measure on this important matter, and that is what I still intend to do, as soon as possible.

§ Mr. Durant
The right hon. Gentleman's original proposals on this matter were welcomed on both sides of the House. Council tenants, certainly in my constituency, would like to see an extension of the powers they already have in this regard to run their own estates. Is this now another election gimmick, in the sense that it will not be brought forward but will just be talked about?

§ Mr. Shore
No. If we were approaching it simply in that spirit, we should produce it straight away, given the obvious attraction that the hon. Gentleman says it has. We want to consider it seriously. It affects the daily lives of many millions of people and we want to get it right. The concept of a tenants' charter covers a wide area and we have received, and are still receiving, a lot of representations on it.

§ Mr. Loyden
Does my right hon. Friend agree that there is an urgency about this matter in two fields—first, in repairs, which in many local authorities are outstanding to a high degree, and, secondly, in evictions, many of which are taking place, particularly in industrial conurbations?

§ Mr. Shore
I certainly agree that repairs and, indeed, security of tenure are important matters, but they are not the only ones. There are the rights of tenants in relation to subletting and taking lodgers, and the important questions, for tenants, of how far they can organise their own exchanges and transfers. In addition, there is the whole question of tenant participation and management.

§ Mr. Heseltine
Does the Secretary of State understand that it was nine months ago that my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. Eyre) first sought leave to introduce this matter to the House? It carries no conviction to suggest that it takes nine months to hold consultations on a matter of this sort. As it would be given full support from the Opposition side of the House, why does the right hon. Gentleman not simply get on with it?

§ Mr. Shore
The hon. Gentleman should know that we published a Green Paper in July, gave people until 1st December to give their major responses, and sent out a series of follow-up consultation papers inviting further responses. The information is only just coming in.