'(1) The Housing Act 1985 is amended as follows.

(2) For section 346 there is substituted—

''346 Registration schemes

(1) Every local housing authority shall make a registration scheme which contains—

(a) provisions for the compilation and maintenance by the authority of a register for their district of houses in multiple occupation, and

(b) control provisions (see section 347).

(2) A registration scheme need not be for the whole of the authority's district and need not apply to every description of house in multiple occupation.

(3) But a registration scheme must apply to every house in multiple occupation in the authority's district of a description prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State.

(4) A registration scheme may vary or revoke a previous registration scheme; and a scheme which revokes a previous scheme may contain transitional provisions.

(5) A local housing authority shall make—

(a) a registration scheme containing provisions mentioned in subsection (1)(a) no later than the end of the period of one year beginning with the day on which section (Registration schemes) of the Home Energy Conservation Act 2002 comes into force; and

(b) a registration scheme containing control provisions no later than the end of the period of two years beginning with that day.

(6) Any power to make regulations under this section is exercisable by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.''.

(3) In section 347(1) (control provisions), for ''A registration scheme may contain control provisions, that is to say,'' there is substituted ''In this Part ''control provisions'' means''.

(4) In section 348B(1) (special control provisions), for ''which contains control provisions may also'' there is substituted ''may''.

(5) In section 349 (steps required to inform public about schemes), subsection (5) is repealed.'—[Mr. Meacher.]

Brought up, read the First and Second time, and added to the Bill.