§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will arrange for annual reports to be submitted to his Department by the chairmen of rent tribunals and rent assessment committees and for a resumé of the reports to be made available to the public or make some other arrangements in order to publicise and co-ordinate findings; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreesonNo. Statistical returns of rents assessed by rent assessment committees are received by my Department in respect of each case determined. Statistical monthly returns of the average rent determined by rent tribunals are also received. Information showing the average of all rents determined by both rent officers and rent assessment committees are shown in " Housing and Construction Statistics " published by HMSO.
§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the last meeting of chairmen of rent tribunals was held; and why these meetings have been discontinued.
§ Mr. FreesonIt rests with the presidents of rent assessment panels—who appoint the chairmen and members of rent tribunals from among their panel members—to call meetings of their members when they consider it necessary to do so. I understand meetings take place on average about once a year when particular matters of interest arise. As far as I am aware no meetings have been discontinued as a matter of policy.