§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what he treats as a reasonable affordable rent in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonRent-setting is a matter for the landlord concerned, having regard to a range of factors including the nature and size of the property, and to conditions in the particular segment of the rented market which the landlord seeks to serve. Affordability is an important factor, but it cannot be determined mechanically and will vary according to the circumstances. Financial assistance, available to tenants through housing benefit and to housing association and public sector landlords through grants and subsidies, is designed to create the conditions in which the requirements of both landlord and tenant in terms of affordability can be met.