asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average length of time taken to process a rent assessment case through all the statutory procedures.

I regret that the information requested is not available for the whole country and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information has, however, been obtained for the West Sussex Rent Registration Area and the Surrey and Sussex Rent Assessment Panel Area, in which there was a case that was the subject of recent correspondence between the hon. Member and myself.In the West Sussex Rent Registration Area the average time taken by the rent officer to process a case is eight weeks. In the Surrey and Sussex Rent Assessment Panel area, where objections to the rent officer's decisions are dealt with and which includes the West Sussex area, the average time taken is seven weeks.