FORESTRY COMMISSION HOUSES (RENTS)

HC Deb 07 April 1955 vol 539 cc119-20W

Mr. Watkins

asked the Minister of Agriculture (1) whether he will give the present average rents of the houses in each of the Forestry Commission's districts in Wales and the amount of increase asked recently; and what consideration has been given to the protests that have been made against such increases;

(2) the reasons for increasing the rents of Forestry Commission houses; from what date such increases are to take effect; what basis is used to determine the percentage of increase; and what provision there is for appealing against such an increase.

Mr. Amory

The rents of the Commission's pre-war properties have until now not been raised from the maximum of 4s. which was first charged when the wages of forest workers were about 38s. per week. The rents charged for houses built since the war, though not so low, have not all been in line with the general level of rents. The maximum rent so far charged in Wales for Commission houses built since the war has been 10s.

The Commission has rightly felt that this situation ought not to be allowed to continue, and that its rents should be based on those charged by local authorities, allowance being made for deficiencies in accommodation or services, and for exceptional isolation. In Wales the increases will take effect from 1st April, 1955, in the case of cottage properties let on a weekly basis, and from 1st October for forest workers' holdings let on 364 day tenancies.

In Wales the present average rents are 3s. 6d. a week for houses built before 1939 and 10s. per week for houses built since then. The average increase now proposed is 5s. 2d. per week in North Wales and 7s. 6d. per week in South Wales.

The representations made by the trade unions representing the Commission's workers against the proposal to increase rents were heard by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, who received a deputation on behalf of the Forestry Ministers. Neither my right hon. Friend nor I feel able to direct the Commission to depart from the principle that the rents of its houses should be brought into line with those charged by local authorities for comparable property.