§ Mr. Leonardasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the 519W provisions of Clause 64(5) of the Housing Finance Bill would apply to rent-free weeks granted by local authorities, with surpluses in their housing revenue accounts, in the financial year ending 31st March, 1972.
§ Mr. AmeryUnder Part VI of the Housing Finance Bill, all calculations have to be made on the basis of the rents which would have been paid in the absence of any administrative arrangements for the granting of rent free weeks—see Clause 71(4). Consequently if in the period beginning 19th July, 1971, and ending 31st March, 1972, a local authority who have such administrative arrangements grant additional rent free weeks or introduce such arrangements where none existed before, then under Clause 64(5) a comparison will have to be made between the rents previously payable and the rents payable during that period, ignoring the administrative arrangements. This may result in a decrease in rent to which the provisions of Clause 64(5) could apply.