§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available to hon. Members any evidence collected from local authorities which supports his answer of 19 December,Official Report, column 42, that his proposals on housing finance will not significantly affect council house rents either in Nottingham or nationally.
§ Mr. TrippierMy earlier reply explained that my right hon. Friend's proposals for capital expenditure and finance were not expected to have any impact on council house rents. We have made separate proposals on housing finance, suggesting new machinery for subsidising local authority housing revenue accounts. The effect these proposals will have on council rents will depend partly on the way we choose to operate the system year by year, and partly on the decisions taken by individual local authorities, who will retain ultimate responsibility for setting their own rents.