§ 32. Mr. Richard Pageasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any evidence that rents in enterprise zones have risen to a level which takes account of the absence of rate liability.
§ Mr. Giles ShawI refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I have today given to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway). Until we receive the consultants' report in the autumn, we cannot give a definitive answer on rent levels. There are some indications, however, of differentials between rent levels in some zones and in the surrounding areas. We have no evidence that rents have anywhere risen to a level that nullifies the benefit of the rates concession.
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the average increase in council rents since April 1979.
§ Sir George YoungFull details are not yet available, but preliminary estimates indicate that unrebated council house rents in England and Wales in April 1982 were £7.14 per dwelling per week above their level in April 1979.
§ 46. Mr. Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the operation of section 60 of and schedule 10 to the Housing Act 1980 and its effects on housing association rent increases.
§ Mr. StanleyI refer to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Foulkes). I also refer to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Heddle) on 23 March 1981.—[Vol. 1, c.247.]