§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is the intention of the Government, under Clause 50 of the Housing Finance Bill, to oblige local authorities and rent scrutiny boards to raise the rent levels of dwellings in the public sector of housing, if after use of his powers under Section 63(6) it is found that rents registered subsequently in the private sector for comparable properties are higher than was anticipated by the local authority.
§ Mr. EyreUnder Part V of the Bill local authorities are required to make provisional assessments of fair rents, and rent scrutiny boards are required to consider these assessments, in accordance with the principles in Clauses 50 and 58. Local authorities are required, subject to the provisions in Part VI of the Bill as to the progression to fair rents, to charge the 353W fair rent as determined under Part V. It the rent of a dwelling resulting from an increase towards fair rents to which a direction under Clause 63(4) applies is less than the fair rent as subsequently determined, the dwelling is a qualifying dwelling for the purpose of subsequent increases towards fair rents in accordance with Clause 65.