HC Deb 14 June 1993 vol 226 c664

Lords amendment: No. 10, in page 8, leave out lines 20 to 25 and insert—

("(b) where—

(i) the lease was entered into either on or after 1st April 1963 but before 1st April 1990, or on or after 1st April 1990 in pursuance of a contract made before that date, and

(ii) the flat had a rateable value at the date of the commencement of the lease or else at any time before 1st April 1990,")

Sir George Young

I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.

Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Janet Fookes)

With this, it will be convenient to take Lords amendment No. 88.

Sir George Young

These amendments will ensure that where a property never acquires a rateable value it shall be treated as if it were a lease entered into after April 1990. The test that applies to these leases is that the ground rent must not exceed £1,000 in Greater London or £250 elsewhere.

Amendment No. 10 relates to flats, and amendment No. 88 deals with houses. They will improve the test by ensuring that it can be applied to all properties, and I commend them to the House.

5.15 pm
Mr. Battle

The language in which the Minister presents his case is interesting. He says that the amendment will improve the test. In other words, it will firm up the test and make it more difficult for people to get through. Thus, the Government are once again ensuring that fewer people than was suggested will be enfranchised. It is worth recalling that the original consultation document published by the Government contained no suggestion of any low rent test. Such a test has crept in via the Bill, and the Government are now accepting it, as it were, as law. The Minister's comment that he is improving or strengthening the test suggests to me that very many more people will be disfranchised.

Sir George Young

Before the hon. Gentleman gets too carried away, let me make the point that the amendments were put forward on behalf of leaseholders. Without them, certain properties would simply be ineligible for enfranchisement because they have no rateable value. The amendments will therefore benefit leaseholders.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords amendments Nos. 11 to 32 agreed to.

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