It could be a legal requirement for landlords to ensure their rental properties meet a minimum standard of insulation and heating, under a new bill to be debated by MPs.



Labour MP Phil Twyford's Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill was one of two drawn from the ballot today.



The bill would require all rental housing (state, social and private sector) to meet minimum health and safety standards in regard to insulation and effective non-polluting heating.



Landlords would also have to make a declaration, or guarantee as part of any new tenancy agreement that their property complied with the standards.



The Tenancy Tribunal would be given powers to enforce the standard.



Twyford said he hoped to get cross-party support for the bill.



"This is an idea whose time has come. Too many of our children suffer respiratory diseases because of damp cold homes."



"Most poor people live in private rental accommodation and while there has been a generous government subsidy scheme in place for several years there is no financial incentive for landlords to take up the subsidy and few have."



Labour has said the requirements would apply to new tenancies from the moment it became law.



After five years, any properties that had not had a tenancy renewed in that period would be required to meet the standards.



The other bill to be drawn was fellow Labour MP Damien O'Connor's Underground Coal Mining Safety Bill, to tighten safety regulations in the industry.