§ 2.46 p.m.
§ Baroness JegerMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations have been received in connection with the proposed changes in housing benefit; and what is the estimated number of present recipients who will suffer a reduction if the proposals are implemented.
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, we have received a report from the Social Security Advisory Committee and comments from the local authority associations, which were formally consulted about the proposals. We have also received a number of other representations.
In the light of these representations, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State will today make a Statement in another place about the Government's proposals. With the leave of the House, I shall be repeating that Statement later. I hope, therefore, that the noble Baroness and your Lordships will agree that it might be best to defer further discussion until then.
§ Baroness JegerMy Lords, I am sure that my noble friends will agree that we should wait for the Statement. However, just for the record, as I understand it, the noble Lord has not given a full list of the representations that have been received. Have not the Government received representations from the Citizens' Advice Bureaux, describing the scheme as inequitable and unworkable, from the Conservative Members of Parliament, from the Government's own Advisory Committee on Rent Rebates and Rent Allowances, from SHAC, from the London Housing Aid Centre, from the Institute of Housing, which described it as a nightmare, from the Child Poverty Action Group and from the Parliamentary Group for Pensioners? Surely it would be fairer if all the representations could be put on the record?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, a very great number of representations have been made. I do not have the full list in front of me now, but I shall have it in front of me later on in the afternoon.