§ Mr. Ovendenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average increase nationally and in each region in rents determined in the current year by rent officers and rent assessment committees in respect of dwellings for which rents were previously registered in 1975.
§ Mr. ArmstrongThe available information is as follows:
AVERAGE CHANGE IN RENTS REGISTERED BY RENT OFFICERS FOR UNFURNISHED PROPERTIES ON RE-REGISTRATION IN JANUARY-MARCH 1978 WHERE THE PREVIOUS REGISTRATION TOOK PLACE IN 1975, BY RENT ASSESSMENT PANEL AREA: ENGLAND AND WALES Rent Assessment Panel Area Average percentage change on previous rent Northern 43.1 Yorkshire & Humberside 54.9 East Midlands 57.8 Eastern 42.5 Beds, Herts, Cambs 34.9 Greater London 37.5 Kent 57.2 Surrey & Sussex 47.7 Southern 42.2 Thames Valley 45.0 Bristol 45.4 Devon & Cornwall 60.0 West Midlands 48.5 Merseyside and Cheshire 40.5 Greater Manchester and Lancs 40.8 England 45.1 Wales 42.7 England and Wales 45.1 Similar information for cases dealt with by rent assessment committees is not available, but a national analysis of their determinations of re-registrations in 1977 showed an average increase of about 8 per cent. above the rent officers assessments.