§ Mr. Edelmanasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what instructions he has issued to the Coventry City Council in connection with reductions in rent increases and rent rebates; and what interpretation the Council has given to these instructions in their application.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonThe Council had increased standard rents by an average of 15s. 10d. and a maximum of 25s. 7d. a week on 1st January 1968. On 26th 269W November, 1968, my right hon. Friend accepted proposals, which the Council had submitted as a result of a direction made by him under the Prices and Incomes Act, 1968, to reduce these increases in standard rent to an average of 7s. 6d. and a maximum of 10s. a week. The reductions came into effect last month. My right hon. Friend has no power to determine the methods which the Council select to finance these reductions but he has expressed to it his extreme regret that it has chosen to worsen its rent rebate scheme in preference to adopting the alternative methods that were open to it.