Clause 55 - Tests for fitness etc. and satisfactory management arrangements
Housing Bill
4:00 pm
Mr Matthew Green (Shadow Minister, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Local Government & the Regions; Ludlow, Liberal Democrat)
I rise in support of Conservative amendment No. 271. It is right that one of the considerations made about a person managing an HMO is whether they are on the sex offenders register. They would not be automatically barred, but that fact should be taken into account.
I have a related question about someone having a past offence for smoking cannabis, which, under these regulations, would have to be brought forward. People might have been caught doing that 20 or 30 years ago when it was a class B drug. It is now a class C drug. [Hon. Members: ''Not until Thursday.''] Is there any guidance as to how local authorities should take account of there being something that is a lesser offence than it once was?