§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take appropriate measures to ensure that the speeding up of the Welsh Development Agency's programme of selling off parcels of industrial land to the private sector will not mean that companies renting factories on this land will face increased charges from new landlords.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe level of rents charged by the private sector is a matter for commercial judgment based on prevailing market conditions. The Welsh Development Agency itself currently seeks to obtain the best price practicable in negotiating both rents and sales for its property and has for some time sought to operate on a commercial basis wherever possible.
Moreover, tenants rights are unaffected by a change of ownership and they also have statutory protection through the Landlord and Tenants Act 1954 which provides recourse to arbitration if settlement of rent cannot be achieved between the parties.