§ 118. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Attorney-General if he will, in the case of urban houses, introduce legislation to eliminate all interests intermediate between the occupiers and the freeholders, and to determine on such elimination what would be a fair sale, purchase or redemption price for each such intermediate interest; and what would be a just rent for the occupier to pay and the freeholder to receive in each case.
§ The Attorney-General:The proposals made by my hon. and learned Friend, in so far as they involve the extinguishment of leasehold interests, raise the subject of leasehold enfranchisement. The question whether persons who, by themselves or their predecessors, have voluntarily entered into contracts upon a leasehold basis, should, without the consent of the other contracting parties, be enabled to secure a different and larger interest in the land concerned or to occupy it on different terms is a complicated, controversial and difficult one, and as I have indicated in previous answers during the past few months, it is quite impossible in view of the Government's heavy reconstruction programme to introduce legislation at present interfering with the results of contractual relationships in this way. I regret therefore that I can add nothing to my previous statements about the matter.