§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek and publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT figures showing the additional rent levied on tenants in each Scottish housing authority due to the introduction of the Housing Finance Act.
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§ Mr. William RossThe average standard rent charged by all Scottish local authorities rose from £79.29 per annum at 28th November 1971 to £128.28 at 28th November 1973. The corresponding increases for houses provided by the Scottish Special Housing Association and by new town development corporations were from £105.05 to £139.23, and from £139.96 to £192.05 respectively. Detailed figures for individual authorities will be published in the annual Command Paper "Rents of Houses Owned by Public Authorities in Scotland".
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the total saving to public sector and private sector tenants, respectively, of his action in freezing rents at current levels.
§ Mr. William RossIn the period 31st December 1974 public sector tenants are likely to be relieved of rent increases which would have totalled about £5 million. No reasonable estimate can readily be made of the savings to private sector tenants, but they will undoubtedly be substantial. There are likely to be some increases in rates due to higher deficits in housing revenue accounts.