asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the effects of the Rent Act in Scotland; and which of the objectives for which the Act was designed have been, or are being, achieved.

It is too early yet to draw any firm conclusion about the effect in Scotland of the 1957 Rent Act.

But it is surely not too early for the right hon. Gentleman to appreciate the reprehensible effect of anxiety and misery caused particularly to very many aged people. Since many of his hon. Friends are now showing some sign of realising the enormity of the great injustice which they have perpetrated in passing the Act, will the right hon. Gentleman now introduce an amending Bill to restore control to houses in Scotland?

The hon. Gentleman will realise that the main object of the Rent Act is to maintain and make the best use of our stock of houses. What is more, although a change such as this after so many years of complete control may, I accept, produce some temporary hardship, however much we try to avoid it, I remain convinced that the Act is in the general interest.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that people who have occupied these houses for years are finding themselves threatened with eviction, with no possibility of finding another home? Does he not realise that this will cause widespread distress throughout many of the towns of Scotland?

I do not accept that the evidence available at the moment bears out what the right hon. Gentleman has said. No one can be certain what will happen until October of next year.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, while not all landlords and factors in Glasgow have put ridiculously high increases on these houses which have become decontrolled, quite a number have imposed quite unreasonable increases in respect of many of them? Will he bear in mind also that there are 105,000 houses controlled by the Corporation of Glasgow which are not affected by the Act, so that not only do these people whose homes or houses have now been directly affected have these additional increases—as much as 100 per cent.—to face, but they have also to pay towards the rents of the people who are staying in the 105,000 uneconomic and subsidised houses in the City of Glasgow? Is not this grossly unfair?

In reply to the first part of my hon. Friend's Question, I would say that I know that occasional cases of apparent hardship have been reported; but, as I have said in public before now, I sincerely hope that all landlords in Scotland will act with humanity and intelligence, as I understand they are doing in the great Majority of cases.

Does that mean that the right hon. Gentleman does not accept the truth of the facts given by the hon. Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. George) in his interview with the Glasgow Herald a few days ago?

That is not on the Order Paper, and I am not fully conversant with what was stated at that time. I repeat that there are cases where there is, I think, hardship, and I sincerely hope that the landlords concerned will behave in their own best interests and the interests of the tenants.

If the right hon. Gentleman accepts that there are cases of hardship, does he propose to do something about it and bring in an amending Bill?

No. As I said before, after so many years of complete control—which, I believe, everybody in the House knows has produced a very difficult position in the country—there is bound to be some disruption when even an element of decontrol is introduced. But one sincerely hopes—as I believe it will—that the general effect of the Act will be in the interests of everybody in the country.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if, in view of the widespread hardships due to lack of alternative accommodation for those evicted under the Rent Act, he will initiate legislation to establish a Scottish tribunal to report to him and advise on interchangeability of houses to rent;

(2) if he is aware of the threats of eviction and hardships throughout Scotland caused by the Rent Act, 1957; and if he will amend the Act in respect to the decontrolling of dwellinghouses of £40 and over.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to mitigate the hardship caused to tenants of rented houses by the implementing of the provisions of the Rent Act.

No, Sir. The Government do not accept the suggestion that there will be widespread hardship and have announced that they do not contemplate Amendment of the Rent Act. As regards interchangeability of houses to rent, one of the underlying objects of the Act is to enable better use than hitherto to be made of the pool of rented accommodation, but exchange of tenancies is a matter for mutual arrangement between landlords and tenants.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is the first time in Scotland's history that a change like this has taken place in a Rent Act without a previous survey by a commission, and particularly a survey into the houses available to let, before decontrol was introduced? In regard to interchangeability, the right hon. Gentleman talks about hoping that there will be houses to let. Surely, there is no justification here for the triumph of hope over experience. Has experience not taught us that during the past 20 years every vacant house has been put up for sale and not to let?

In reply to the first part of the question, I should have to make a check to discover about past surveys. Concerning the second part, it is much too early to be certain what will happen about the availability of houses to let. I do not think one should make the assumption that the hon. Lady is making.

Are we, then, to assume that the right hon. Gentleman is wholly satisfied with the workings of the Act? Are we further to assume that he desires to be known as the Panglossian Secretary of State for Scotland?

There is very good reason to believe that the Rent Act is functioning already in relation to getting more repair work done and reducing the extreme inflexibility of movement. I should have to consult my dictionary before risking a reply to the second part of the question.

May I suggest that rather than consult his dictionary, the right hon. Gentleman should consult Voltaire? Does not he realise that there is a growing body of evidence, spoken to by Members on both sides, showing that the Act is working most harshly and that many people are suffering great hardship?

No. I am by no means convinced that there is widespread distress. I agreed in answer to an earlier question that there are some cases of hardship, and I have stated my views.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take immediate steps to amend Section 9 of the Rent Act.

No, Sir. I have, in any case had no representations related particularly to Section 9, which deals with the amount of the repairs increase under the 1954 Act.

In view of the representations to the right hon. Gentleman upon the whole of the Act and what he has said, may we take it from him that later he may consider amending it?

No, I would ask that no such thing should be taken from what I said, but I hope there may be a proper study of the remarks I made earlier.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set up a committee to inquire and report on the working of the Rent Act in Scotland.

No, Sir.

Has the Secretary of State read the statement made in the Glasgow Herald on 2nd December by his hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. George), in which he says that he has found hundreds of cases of hardship in Glasgow and that the Act is being sabotaged? Will the right hon. Gentleman undertake to study that report?

I do not think it would be appropriate for me to go over the replies which I have made already to similar Questions today.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say how much distress has to be caused in Scotland before he will be shaken out of his present complacency?

I am not convinced, as I said before, that there is any widespread measure of hardship because of this Act.