asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on his meeting with the National Association of Tenants' Organisations of 16 May 1979 in relation to differential rents and related matters.
Written Answers. - NATO Meeting.
46.
At their request, I met a deputation from the National Association of Tenants' Organisations on 16 May last in connection with the 1979 national rent and sales schemes. I informed the deputation that the changes in the schemes introduced as and from 1 March 1979 could not now be altered. Reports from local authorities indicated that the vast majority of tenants had accepted the changes in the rent scheme and that those whose income was such as to justify increases had been paying increased rents.
I advised the association that it was inherent in the system of differential renting, that while tenants with low incomes must not be called upon to pay rents they cannot afford at the same time while the costs of providing, maintaining and managing local authority housing estates continue to rise, tenants who enjoy increasing incomes must be prepared to bear a fair share of these increased costs by periodic adjustments of their rents.
I confirmed to the deputation that there was no question of the Government withdrawing from NATO the recognition of their right to negotiate on behalf of local authority tenants and that full and meaningful negotiations with NATO will take place on any reasonable submissions which the association might make in connection with the review of the schemes for 1980. Written confirmation to this effect was sent by me to NATO on 17 May 1979.