§ 57. Mr. Henigasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what advice his Department has given to local authorities about rises in council house rents during the period of severe economic restraint.
§ Mr. GreenwoodI would refer my hon. Friend to paragraph 20 of the White Paper "Prices and Incomes Standstill: Period of Severe Restraint" (Cmnd. 3150).
§ Mr. Juddasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether, in view of the precedent established by at least one local authority in deliberately ensuring a profit for the rate fund from the housing revenue account, he will reconsider the possibility of creating an impartial rent review board to which council tenants could refer rent increases for independent comment.
§ Mr. GreenwoodNo. I consider that the responsibility for fixing reasonable rents for local authority houses should remain where Parliament has placed it, with the local authorities.