HC Deb 04 June 1980 vol 985 cc1404-6
Mr. Beaumont-Dark

asked the Secretary of State for the the Environment how many dwellings have been lost from the privately rented sector since the Rent Act 1974.

Mr. Stanley

The precise information requested is not available, but between the 1971 census and the 1977 national dwelling and housing survey it is estimated that some 838,000 dwellings were lost from the private rented sector in England—an average rate of loss of 125,000 dwelllings a year.

Mr. Beaumont-Dark

I thank my hon. Friend for his answer. Does he agree that the loss of that many dwellings affects the ability of people to move around the country when jobs necessitate such a move?

Mr. William Hamilton

What jobs?

Mr. Beaumont-Dark

Will my hon. Friend accept that shorthold tenancies are an important contribution to overcoming the problem of the shortage of houses for rent in the private sector? Does he further agree that, had the Socialist Party taken action years ago, we should not now have 800,000 fewer houses in the private rented sector?

Mr. Stanley

I entirely agree. A basic objective behind our shorthold proposals is that of trying to meet the need for short-term rented accommodation in the private sector. Such accommodation is required particularly by people who need to go to a town for a year or two for a job or course. It is greatly regretted that the Labour Party has introduced a wrecking commitment to try to repeal shorthold.

Mr. Tilley

How many houses were lost in the rented sector through demolition and how many through properties becoming owner-occupied? Will the hon. Gentleman accept that he is giving the impression that all the houses were lost because of the landlord's decision not to rent, but the figures disprove that? Are the Government planning further measures to stop the decline? At what rate do they claim that the Housing Bill will slow it down?

Mr. Stanley

About one-third of the dwellings that I referred to were demolished. That is almost 300,000 dwellings, which is far too many.

Mr. Viggers

Does the Minister agree that many individuals and families do not wish to buy houses or rent from the council? Will my hon. Friend accept that, if the Government are successful in bringing forward proposals to assist the private tenancy market, they will be widely supported?

Mr. Stanley

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. In addition to shorthold, we are making it easier for owner-occupiers to sublet, giving council tenants the right to sublet and take in lodgers and we are introducing a system of assured tenancies for new build-for-rent dwellings outside the Rent Acts. We hope that the combination of those four important changes in the Housing Bill will improve the availability of private rented accommodation.

Mr. Kaufman

Since the Government have rejected the idea of a register of shorthold tenancies, how will the Government and the House know how many shorthold tenancies are created?

Mr. Stanley

As the right hon. Gentleman knows, a requirement of shorthold is to have the fair rent registered. There will, therefore, be an application to the rent officer The more pressing need is to make dwellings available for those who want them, rather than closely to monitor the number of shortholds.