HC Deb 27 July 1971 vol 822 cc70-2W
Mr. Clinton Davis

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his estimate of the number and proportion of tenants in England and Wales who are now paying controlled rents and who will pay fair rents pursuant to the provisions outlined in Fair Deal for Housing;

(2) what is his estimate of the number and proportion of tenants in outer London, inner London and in the London Borough of Hackney, respectively, who are now paying controlled rents, and who will pay fair rents pursuant to the provisions outlined in Fair Deal for Housing.

Mr. Amery

It is estimated that there were some 1.3 million controlled tenancies in December, 1970 in England and Wales. Of these, some 300,000 are estimated to be in the G.L.C. area, but it is not possible to provide separate estimates for inner and outer London, or for individual London boroughs. Increased rent will normally become payable, by stages, when controlled tenancies are transferred to regulation (they will not be so transferred if the dwelling is formally notified as unfit), but what the tenant pays from his own resources will depend also on whether he needs and claims a rent allowance.

Mr. Clinton Davis

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his estimate of the number of council tenants in outer London, inner London and the London Borough of Hackney, respectively, who will have to pay fair rents pursuant to the provisions outlined in Fair Deal for Housing;

(2) what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of private tenants who will receive rent rebates in outer London, inner London and in the London Borough of Hackney, respectively, pursuant to the provisions outlined in Fair Deal for Housing;

(3) what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of council tenants who will receive rent rebates in outer London, inner London and in the London Borough of Hackney, respectively, pursuant to the provisions outlined in Fair Deal for Housing;

(4) what is the probable rent level of private and local authority tenants in England and Wales, outer and inner London and in the London Borough of Heckney, respectively, which would follow the implementation of the provisions outlined in Fair Deal for Housing.

Mr. Amery

I am unable to make these estimates since they depend on so many variables such as the character of the dwellings for which fair rents are to be determined, the rate of progression to those rents and the incomes and family circumstances of the tenants.

Mr. Clinton Davis

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the average rent level at present charged in the private sector and by local authorities, respectively, in England and Wales, outer and inner London and in the London Borough of Hackney, respectively.

Mr. Amery

The latest available information is as follows:

Private Sector Rents
Average Weekly Registered Fair Rents for 1970
£
England and Wales 4.15
Greater London* 5.67
London Borough of Hackney 3.31

Controlled rents are typically 85p a week outside Londdon and £1.50 a week in London.

Local Authority Average Weekly Unrebated Rents as at 31st March, 1970
£
England and Wales 2.23
London Boroughs* 3.08
Greater London Council* 3.10
London Borough of Hackney 2.51
* Separate figures are not available for inner and outer London.