§ 44. Mr. Hamlingasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will set up an inquiry into increasing rents for council houses and the operation of differential rent schemes and rent rebate schemes by local authorities.
§ Mr. GreenwoodI shall be discussing these points in the course of the talks which we are having with the local authority associations on rent rebates.
§ 57. Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he intends to make Parker-Morris standards compulsory for all municipal houses.
§ Mr. GreenwoodI have today sent a circular to local authorities explaining exactly how housing standards are to be defined. I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend.
§ 60. Mr. George Rogersasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the exceptionally high rents charged by some local authorities in London, he will seek to amend the Housing Act, 1965 to include local authorities in the rent assessment procedure.
§ Mr. MellishLocal authorities have been given the responsibility by Parliament to determine reasonable rents, and they are required to review rents from time to time and to make such changes as circumstances may require. They have also a legal duty to keep their housing accounts in balance; if this balance cannot be attained from rents and Exchequer subsidies the deficit has to be met from the rates. Authorities are under a legal duty to hold a fair balance between tenants and 229W ratepayers and are answerable to the electorate for the way in which they exercise these responsibilities. It would not therefore be appropriate to bring local authority rents within the rent regulation procedure.
§ Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many local authority dwellings have been sold during the current year; and, in view of the determination of many local authority tenants to buy their houses, what steps he is taking to encourage such sales by local authorities which do not at present give such opportunities to their tenants.
§ Mr. GreenwoodIn the first quarter of this year 1,148 local authority dwellings were sold in England and Wales, 787 of these by Birmingham. I am sending the right hon. Gentleman a copy of the circular which was issued to local authorities last month giving fresh guidance on this matter.
§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why he has decided to alter the council house-building standards from those proposed by the Parker-Morris Committee; how much he estimates this will save; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GreenwoodI have today sent a circular to local authorities explaining exactly how housing standards are to be defined. I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend.