HC Deb 26 April 1988 vol 132 cc135-6W
Mr. Hunter

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will produce statistical evidence for any

Mr. Chope

The available information is as follows:

year since 1979 to show which housing authorities over-claimed housing subsidies with a resulting over-provision in the supply estimates.

Mrs. Roe

I shall place the information in the Library.

Mr. Hunter

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he has taken, or proposes to take, to ensure that housing authorities do not over-claim housing subsidies.

Mrs. Roe

For the financial year 1988–89, any authority overclaiming in two of the three audited years (1984–85 to 1986–87), whose advance final claim for 1987–88 is late or reveals a third overclaim will have its instalments for the remainder of 1988–89 abated. The abatement will take into account the size of the latest overclaim.

The Department is also monitoring national movements in interest rates against those used by local authorities in their claims. High interest rates will be queried and, where appropriate, advance instalments of subsidy will be abated.

Similar measures were taken in the previous three years.