Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have died of breast cancer in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what comparisons his Department has conducted in respect of the incidence of breast cancer in other regions of the United Kingdom. [76]
§ Mr. MossThe information requested is as follows:
In both assured and assured shorthold tenancies, repairing obligations are largely a matter of negotiation between landlord and tenant.
In Northern Ireland there are also three main types of tenancy:
- (i) restricted—properties generally in a poor state of repair with Net Annual Value (NAV) less than £60 and rent frozen at the 1978 level (usually less than £1.00 per week). Tenants have few repairing rights unless there is a tenancy agreement stating otherwise.
- (ii) regulated—properties in a better state of repair. Rent payable limited to the amount calculated in accordance with statute and registered with the Department of the Environment (NI) and can be appealed to a Rent Assessment Committee. The responsibility for repairs may be set out in the tenancy agreement but will normally be the responsibility of the landlord who can be required to carry out repairs by the 'certificate of disrepair' procedure.
Both regulated and restricted tenants have considerable security of tenure whereby the landlord can gain possession only after obtaining a court order.
- (iii) uncontrolled—properties built or converted after 1956, or which have an NAV over £140 or which were not previously let. Rent, repairing obligations and security of tenure are a matter between landlord and tenant to be specified in the tenancy agreement.
The Government have no proposals at present to amend the Northern Ireland law relating to the private rented sector.