§ Mr. Arthur Jonesasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what progress he has made in the adoption of the proposals of Circular 46/67, relating to rent rebate schemes; and whether the provisions of paragraph 3 still represent the policy of Her Majesty's Government.
408Ware the number of houses involved since that date.
§ Mr. MacCollThe following is a list of reductions in rent increases made or to be made in response to directions by my right hon. Friend and approved between 15th November and 29th November, 1968.
These reductions affected 90,000 houses: reductions were made before 15th November by 46 authorities and these affected a further 480,000 houses. The 59 authorities which at 15th November had had proposals for rent increases or further rent increases rejected and had not submitted further proposals or resubmitted their original proposals have a total housing stock of 322,000.
§ Mr. MacCollThe introduction of rent rebate schemes is by law within the discretion of each local housing authority. According to the statistical supplement to the N.B.P.I. Report on "Increases in Rents of Local Authority Housing", an N.B.P.I. survey covering the majority of local housing authorities in Great Britain indicated that the number of council tenants receiving rebates would rise from 361,000 (9.06 per cent. of all tenants) in 1966–67 to an estimated 455,000 (10.63 per cent. of all tenants) in 1968–69. Paragraph 3 of circular 46/67 continues to represent Government policy on rent rebates.