HC Deb 09 April 1973 vol 854 cc219-20W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what suggestions and advice are given to local authorities regarding the payment of rent rebate under the Housing Finance Act for the chronically sick, severely handicapped, and elderly who lack mobility; if he will give publicity to any schemes which make it easier to collect such rebates; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Channon

Rent rebates are not paid to tenants. Housing authorities

Title of application Date of decision
Sewage treatment works, River Road, West Walton—Marshland Rural District, Norfolk 25th June 1970.
Erection of new special hospital at Moss Side, Maghull—West Lancashire Rural District Council. 20th August 1970.
Erection of a brewery at Samlesbury—Preston Rural District Council 27th August 1970
Erection of two houses, Rutland Lodge, River Lane, Petersham—London Borough of Richmond 9th March 1971.
Residential development on 24 acres of land the east side of Church Lane, Dodleston—Chester Rural District Council. 12th March 1971.
Car park at Milton Road, Stowmarket Urban District Council, East Suffolk 23rd July 1971.
Proposed residential development west of Highgate Road—Camden London Borough Council. 17th December 1971
Proposed caravan site at North Repps, Norfolk 28th March 1972.
Application by Robert F. Earley and Partners for permission to develop 341 acres of mudflats at Bathside Bay, Harwick, for docks and allied services. 14th April 1972.
Proposal to build four detached houses on land at Windsor Forest, poultry farm, Woodside, Ascot, Berkshire. 3rd August 1972.
Erection of school on former Metropolitan Water Board land at Lonsdale Road, Barnes, S.W. 13—London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. 14th September 1972.
Proposed marina at Shotley, East Suffolk 31st October 1972.
Two applications for planning permission for erection of dwellings with ancillary educational, shopping and social facilities on about 213 acres of land at Brighton Hill, Basingstoke, Hampshire. 28th December 1972.
Proposal to construct a bulk cement depot on British Railways' land at Theale, Berkshire. 8th January 1973.
Proposed use of land as an airfield—construction and conversion of ancillary buildings at Treswithick Farm, Bodmin, Cornwall. 2nd February 1973.
Proposed marina and water sports centre at Exmouth, Devon 28th February 1973.
Application by United Refineries Ltd. to build a 4 million-ton capacity oil refinery on 314 acres of land at Canvey Island, Essex. 28th March 1973.

reduce the rent of their tenants by the amount of the rebate and collect the balance. In paying rent allowances to private tenants local authorities are required by the Act to have regard to their reasonable needs and convenience. This was stressed in our circular last summer on rent rebate and allowance schemes, which recommended the use of Giro or other similar forms of payment which obviate the need for the tenant to collect his allowance from his council office.