asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement on the operation of part IV of the Tenants' Rights, Etc. (Scotland) Act 1980.

I assume the hon. Member is concerned chiefly with short tenancies.My right hon. Friend and I are satisfied that the option of a short tenancy is providing useful encouragement to landlords to keep accommodation available for letting. Some 979 applications for a certificate of fair rent where it is proposed to let on a short tenancy have been received since the commencement of this part of the Act on 1 December 1980, and some 560 tenancies of this kind have already been created. No figures are availble for cases where short tenancies have been created without alteration of an existing rent.