THE Transport, Local Government and the Regions Select Committee will be looking very hard at the Government's record on Urban Regeneration.

Before we can start on this task, we need to have a better idea of how urban degeneration is occurring.

In the past it was assumed this was mainly due to very poor housing, leading to slum clearance, or the development of sink estates in areas of public housing. Today, however, there appears to be a new problem -- empty private homes. In some Northern towns, and in a few other places in the country, there are large numbers of empty houses. Once there is a surplus of houses in an area, private buyers become wary and the worst Rachman-type landlords move in.

So, the Select Committee is starting its work with an inquiry into the problem of empty homes. Obviously, we want to know how many there are, how far the problem is spreading, and could people be encouraged to move from over crowded areas to use the empty homes.

If any of your readers have views about this issue, we would be pleased to have them as part of this inquiry. If they are sent to me at the house of Commons, London SW1A 0AA, I will ensure they go before the Select Committee.

Andrew Bennett MP

Chair -- Transport, Local Government

and the Regions Committee