§ 19. Mr. Frank CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to ensure that all housing authorities will be able to implement the new housing benefit scheme on 1 October.
§ Mr. PortilloThe new housing benefit scheme starts from 1 April 1988. The Department has been involved in consultation with local authority Associations on details of the new scheme for over 18 months. It has provided £25 million this year for authorities' preparation costs and produced and distributed free of charge training material, publicity and explanatory literature.