Major Lloydasked the Minister of Health what the balance on the rent account of a local authority represents; and by what authority a local body can decide that such a balance can be disposed of by giving rent free periods to tenants.
§ Mr. BevanA credit balance on the Housing Revenue Account, to which I assume the hon. and gallant Member refers, representsthe excess of annual income over expenditure, together with any credit balances carried forward from previous years. I am advised that provided the weekly rents for the year are so fixed as to produce the full annual rent income there is no obligation to require the same charge to be made each week, though most local authorities find it most satisfactory to adopt this course.