§ Mr. T. GRIFFITHSasked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take with regard to the communication re- 1160W ceived from the clerk of the Abersychan Urban Distric Council, intimating that on account of the grave depression in the coal-mining industry in this district arrears of rents amounting to £9,000 are due to the council from the tenants, and that the members of the council were unanimously of opinion that the whole problem could only be satisfactorily dealt with by a substantial reduction being made in the rents of the council houses under the various schemes?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe Abersychan Urban District Council are being informed that a proposal will be considered to admit for the purpose of subsidy for the present financial year such portion of the arrears of rents of houses erected under the 1919 Act as can now properly be regarded as irrecoverable. It would not appear from the information before me that such a reduction in the general level of rents as the council contemplate could properly be made, but it is of course open to the council, if they so desire, to ask that the question of rents for houses erected under the 1919 Act should be considered by the tribunal appointed for the purpose of that Act. As regards houses erected under later Acts, the rents fixed by the council do not require my approval.