§ Mr. L. SCOTTasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the grave hardship which is being caused by the owners of business premises in Liverpool and elsewhere demanding of their tenants at short notice exorbitant increases of rent, with the 1825W alternative of quitting those premises, whether, owing to the great difficulty and frequent impossibility of acquiring other premises, serious injury and business loss is thus being caused to small traders and professional men who are now struggling to regain the ground lost by service with the forces and otherwise during the war; is he aware that the increases of rent demanded are in some cases quite unjustified by any increase in the cost of upkeep to the landlord or any decrease in the value of money; that in one case an increase of 400 per cent. has been demanded; and what steps the Government propose to take in the matter, with a view to mitigating the above hardships without injustice to owners of house property?
§ Dr. ADDISONMy attention has been called to only one case of the kind in Liverpool. The question whether it would he practicable to extend the operation of the Rent Restriction Acts to business premises is being considered by the Committee which is now sitting.