§ 45. Mr. Raynsfordasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the progress in discussions between his Department and the local authority associations on the detailed arrangements for the housing benefit scheme changes effective from April 1988.
§ Mr. LyellDiscussions with the local authority associations on the detailed structure of the new housing benefit scheme are nearing completion. Draft regulations have been issued for formal consultation.
Discussions on future subsidy arrangements are also in progress with the aim of reaching decisions on the basic framework as quickly as possible.
§ Mr. Raynsfordasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the total number and percentage of home owners in Great Britain receiving rate rebates, including former supplementary benefit payments towards rates, in each of the years from 1979 to 1986, the total cost of such payments and the average payment per recipient.
§ Mr. Lyell[pursuant to his reply, 3 December 1986, c. 693–94]: Information relating to rate rebate expenditure on home owners is not available. Similarly information relating to the number of home owners receiving rate rebates before 1983 is not available. Estimates of the number of home owners receiving rate rebates from 1983 are as follows:
Year Average number of recipients (thousands) Percentage of all home owners 1983–84 2,540 20 1984–85 2,540 20 1985–86 2,440 18 1986–87 2,410 18 Note: The percentage of all home owners for 1986–87 is calculated using information on 1985 properties.