§ Mr. Gerald BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has received any information on the operation of the rent officer arrangements within the housing benefit scheme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardI have today arranged for information on the operation of the rent officer procedures for housing benefit purposes to be made available in the Library. This information, which was produced by the Department of the Environment and covers England and Wales, is based on the period April 1989 (when the procedures were introduced) to December 1989 inclusive.