§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether the recently proposed rent increases by the Liverpool City Council breach Her 561W Majesty's Government's anti-inflation policy;
(2) whether he is satisfied that the recent Liverpool Corporation rent increases ranging between 50 per cent. and 200 per cent., details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Scotland Exchange, are in conformity with Her Majesty's Government's anti-inflation policies.
§ Mr. FreesonThe Government's anti-inflation policy is aimed at securing that in 1976–77 local authority rents do not on average rise faster than prices generally. Most authorities have by now fixed their rents for 1975–76. but the White Paper "The Attack on Inflation" recognises that other authorities have rent increases in the pipeline because of rising costs. In the case of Liverpool, I understand that the proposed rent increases, which average about £1 a week from August, or about 65p spread over the current financial year, arc the first since October 1973.