HC Deb 26 November 1987 vol 123 c330W
Mr. Home Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost to his Department for the next four years, respectively, of increased payments of housing benefit arising from the proposals for rents outlined in the White Paper "Housing: the Government's Proposals for Scotland".

Mr. Portillo

Any estimates of the effects of these proposals on benefit expenditure made at this stage would be purely speculative.