§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what increase he either recommends should be added, or he estimates will be added, to council house rents, over and above the £2.50 consequent upon the local contribution differential in consequence of the housing costs which are not reckonable for housing subsidy.
§ Mr. StanleyMy right hon. Friend has made no such recommendation or estimate. It is for individual local authorities to decide their rent levels for 1982–83 in the light of their own estimates of housing revenue expenditure. As my right hon. Friend made clear in his statement on 21 December 1981—[Vol. 15, c. 326–327]—he expects these decisions to lead to an increase in the average rent of £2.50 per dwelling per week in 1982–83.