§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the savings he estimates he will achieve in a full year based in current benefit levels from (a) withdrawing central heating additions, (b) changing the rates taper for housing benefit and (c) uprating child benefit by less than the inflation rate; and how he calculates his figures for total savings from the uprating statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe savings for a full year (1986–87) are as follows:
£ million Uprating child benefit to £7 (compared with 7 per cent. uprating) 175 Ending new awards of central heating additions 38 Increasing rates taper for housing benefit 57 Total 270 Offsetting costs, from the real improvement in family income supplement, the extension of automatic heating additions to sick and disabled householders on the long-term rate of supplementary benefit, and the real increase in the housing benefit children's needs allowance, reduce the total savings to about £250 million.