Oral Answers to Questions — Housing – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 22 June 1954.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt
, Birmingham Aston
12:00,
22 June 1954
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will introduce legislation to require landlords of all rented houses to state on their rent books the rateable and gross value of their houses.
Mr Ernest Marples
, Wallasey
No, Sir. No additional powers are needed to ensure that tenants are fully informed of their rights under the Rent Restrictions Acts and under the Housing. Repairs and Rents Bill. Section 14 (1) of the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions (Amendment) Act of 1933 gives the Minister power to make regulations prescribing the forms of notices to be included in rent books.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt
, Birmingham Aston
Is the Minister aware that in Birmingham, for instance, where more than 200,000 houses are affected by this legislation, it will probably be necessary for the local authority to engage extra staff to answer inquiries? Could he not do something to remedy this legislation, which so far creates the maximum inconvenience to tenants and the maximum convenience to the landlords, by requiring the landlords at least to put this information on the rent books so that the tenants shall know where they are?
Mr Ernest Marples
, Wallasey
The important form is not that in the rent book but the notice which the landlord has to submit for the first increase in rent. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that it will be comprehensive and lucid and will give the tenants all the information they want to check the landlords' claims.
Bernard Braine
, Billericay
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will ensure that the proposed prescribed form for a notice of increase of rent shall contain such guidance for the tenant as will inform him of his rights in the matter and the action he can take to challenge the rent increase.
Mr Ernest Marples
, Wallasey
Yes. Sir.
Bernard Braine
, Billericay
Can my hon. Friend give an assurance that the language used will be crystal-clear to the tenants and not just to lawyers and civil servants?
Mr Ernest Marples
, Wallasey
My right hon. Friend is taking great pains to ensure that the forms give full, clear and yet concise information. We are also publishing a popular booklet giving questions and answers—[HON. MEMBERS: "Popular?"]—which all tenants and landlords will clearly understand. I had the pleasure of reading it over my lunch today.
Mr Donald Wade
, Huddersfield West
Will the prescribed form contain the address of the appropriate local offices to which the tenant may go to obtain information in order to check the increase claimed?
Mr Ernest Marples
, Wallasey
I do not know to which prescribed form the hon. Member is referring, but when the landlord issues the claim form all the relevant information will be given on it.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
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