§ Mr. Pendryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit appeal tribunals were heard in the last year in relation to the Hyde local office and the Ashton local office; in what proportion in each office claimants have been represented; and what is the proportion in each office of applications succeeding or failing.
§ Mr. NewtonThe figures requested cannot be obtained, except at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the saving in 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1985–86 of the removal last April of the non-dependant's rent addition from 16 to 17-yearolds on supplementary benefit; and, in each year, how many people will be affected.
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§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 13 December 1983, c. 444]: For the years concerned, the estimated gross savings amount to £30 million, £31 million, and £33 million respectively. However, there is no net saving to the Exchequer because, apart from savings which would have arisen in any event with the introduction of the youth training scheme, the amounts involved have been used to meet the costs of other items within the cost-neutral package of measures associated with the new housing benefits scheme. Lack of information about the turnover of these cases means it is not possible to estimate the actual number of people affected within the periods concerned. But, at April 1983 there were about 160,000 16 to 17-year old non-householders receiving supplementary benefit, though in these particular cases existing rights were continued.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many 18 to 20-year-olds will lose the £3.10 non-dependant's rent addition in April as a result of the changes affecting them recently announced; of them, if he will estimate how many will be in households where the householder is himself or herself (i) on supplementary benefit, (ii) on housing benefit; how many of these householders will be (iii) parents of the non-householder and (iv) others; and what is his estimate of the gross and net savings from this change in 1984–85 and 1985–86.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 13 December 1983, c. 444]: We estimate that approximately 350,000 18 to 20-year-olds will lose the non-householder's contribution and that about a third of them live in households where the householder is himself receiving housing benefit, including those also receiving supplementary benefit. It is not possible to estimate reliably the number of such cases where the non-householder is not the child of the householder. Gross supplementary benefit savings from the proposed change are estimated at about £58 million in 1984–85 and £61 million in 1985–86. The consequential additional housing benefit costs from this change are estimated at up to about £15 million in 1984–85 and £16 million in 1985–86.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of how many householders receiving (i) housing benefit or (ii) supplementary benefit will have their benefit reduced as a result of the changes in non-dependant deductions recently announced; and, in each case, how many will be affected by (a) the presence of a 16 to 17-year-old, (b) the presence of an 18 to 20-yearold and (c) the presence of more than one dependant.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 13 December 1983, c. 444]: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 5 December—[Vol. 50, c.59–60]— which contained the best available breakdown of the households affected. It is not possible to estimate reliably the number of households affected by the presence of more than one non-dependant.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what will be the savings in 1984–85 and 1985–86 to public expenditure of the changes in deductions from (i) housing benefit and (ii) supplementary benefit; and what is his estimate of the savings that will be attributable to (a) the presence of a 16 to 17-year-old and (b) the presence of an 18 to 20-year-old.
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§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 13 December 1983, c. 444]: Precise information is not available in the form requested, but an approximate indication is as follows:
Savings in public expenditure from increased non-dependants' deductions (£ million) 1984–85 1985–86 (i) Housing benefit (a) Non-dependants 16–17 years old 10 11 (b) Non-dependants 18–20 years old 7 7 (c) Other non-dependants 27 28 (ii) Supplementary Benefit All non-dependants 2 2 Total 46 48
Cost in terms of additional public expenditure arising from reduced deduction for 18–20 year old non-dependants on supplementary benefit (£ million) 1984–85 1985–86 (i) Housing benefit 10 11 (ii) Supplementary benefit * * Net saving 36 37 Note:
Costs and savings in rate rebates, which do not count as public expenditure, are not included in the above figures.
* Negligible.