HC Deb 22 December 1972 vol 848 cc498-502W
Mr. Sproat

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many private tenants in Dunfermline whose rents have been raised by the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969 would get rent allowances for the first time under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972, if the local authority implemented that Act;

(2) what is the amount of rent allowances that will be lost by private tenants in Dunfermline because the local authority is refusing to introduce a rent allowance scheme on 1st January 1973;

(3) how many private tenants in Dunfermline, who have had their rents increased under the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969, will now qualify for the first time for rent allowances to help them in paying this rent;

(4) how many private tenants in Dunfermline will qualify for rent allowances on 1st January 1973 under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972;

(5) how many private tenants in Alloa whose rents have been raised by the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969 would get rent allowances for the first time under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 if the local authority implemented that Act;

(6) what is the amount of rent allowances that will be lost by private tenants in Alloa because the local authority is refusing to introduce a rent allowance scheme on 1st January 1973;

(7) how many private tenants in Alloa who have had their rents increased under the Housing Acts 1965 and 1969 will now qualify for the first time for rent allowances to help them in paying this rent;

(8) how many private tenants in Alloa will qualify for rent allowances on 1st January 1973 under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Sir F. Maclean

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the amount of rent allowances that will be lost by private tenants in Saltcoats because the town council is refusing to introduce a rent allowance scheme on 1st January 1973;

(2) how many private tenants in Saltcoats will qualify for rent allowances on 1st January 1973 under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972;

(3) how many private tenants in Saltcoats who have had their rents increased under the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969 will now qualify for the first time for rent allowances to help them in paying this rent;

(4) how many private tenants in Saltcoats whose rents have been raised by the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969 would get rent allowances for the first time under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 if the town council implemented that Act.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many private tenants in Dundee whose rents have been raised by the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969 would get rent allowances for the first time under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 if the local authority implemented that Act in full;

(2) how many private tenants in Dundee who have had their rents increased under the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969 will now qualify for the first time for rent allowances to help them in paying this rent;

(3) how many private tenants in Dundee will qualify for rent allowances on 1st January 1973 under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972;

(4) what is the amount of rent allowances that will be lost by private tenants in Dundee because the local authority will be unable to introduce a rent allowance scheme on 1st January 1973;

(5) how many private tenants in Whit-burn whose rents have been raised by the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969 would get rent allowances for the first time under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 if the local authority implemented that Act;

(6) what is the amount of rent allowances that will be lost by private tenants in Whitburn because the local authority is refusing to introduce a rent allowance scheme on 1st January 1973;

(7) how many private tenants in Whit-burn who have had their rents increased under the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969 will now qualify for the first time for rent allowances to help them in paying this rent;

(8) how many private tenants in Whit-burn will qualify for rent allowances on 1st January 1973 under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Mr. Brewis

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many private tenants in Kilmarnock will qualify for rent allowances on 1st January 1973 under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972;

(2) how many private tenants in Kilmarnock who have had their rents increased under the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969 will now qualify for the first time for rent allowances to help them in paying this rent;

(3) what is the amount of rent allowances that will be lost by private tenants in Kilmarnock because the local authority is refusing to introduce a rent allowance scheme on 1st January 1973;

(4) how many private tenants in Kilmarnock whose rents have been raised by the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969 would get rent allowances for the first time under the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972, if the local authority implemented that Act.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

Private tenants who are eligible for rent allowances under the provisions of the model scheme should receive allowances from 1st January 1973 in areas where the local authority is implementing the relevant provisions of the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972. Where the local authority is not implementing these provisions, tenants will continue to pay rents, including rents increased under the Housing Acts of 1965 and 1969, without the help of allowances, which are available for the first time under the 1972 Act.

Information is not available to me about numbers or amounts involved.

Mr. Sproat

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will publish details of the number of families in Dunfermline with low incomes who are at present receiving smaller rent rebates than they would be receiving if the local authority had implemented the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972;

(2) whether he will publish details of the number of families in Alloa with low incomes who are at present receiving smaller rent rebates than they would be receiving if the local authority had implemented the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Sir F. Maclean

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish details of the number of families in Salt-coats with low incomes who are at present receiving smaller rent rebates than they would be receiving if the town council had implemented the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will publish details of the number of families in Dundee with low incomes who are at present receiving smaller rent rebates than they would be receiving if the local authority had implemented the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 in full;

(2) whether he will publish details of the number of families in Whitburn with low incomes who are at present receiving smaller rent rebates than they would be receiving if the local authority had implemented the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Mr. Brewis

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish details of the number of families in Kilmarnock with low incomes who are at present receiving smaller rent rebates than they would be receiving if the local authority had implemented the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

These details are not available to me. In general, tenants on low incomes with large families will fare better under the model scheme provided for in the 1972 Act than under present schemes.

Mr. Sproat

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what report he has received from the auditors of the Alloa local authority concerning alleged illegal expenditure by the authority in connection with the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972;

(2) what reports he has received from the auditors of the Alloa local authority about the failure of the authority to observe the law concerning their housing revenue account income.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

None. It is open to any ratepayer to draw the attention of the auditor to any alleged breach of the law by the authority.

Mr. Sproat

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the extra cost to ratepayers in Alloa which has been incurred by the failure of the local authority to implement the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

Failure by Alloa Town Council to implement the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 could cost ratepayers the equivalent of a rate of at least 9p in the £.

Back to