§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what effect the receipt of the allowance for VAT will have upon retirement pensioners' entitlement to housing benefit.
§ Mr. BurtFor those in receipt of retirement pension at the standard basic rate, the extra help for VAT of 50p for a single pensioner and 70p for a pensioner couple will not affect housing benefit entitlement. Those on a modified basic retirement pension, who receive proportionally less help with VAT, will see some increase in their housing benefit entitlement. Couples, where each partner receives the standard rate pension in their own right, will see some decrease in their housing benefit entitlement but will gain by more than the 70p overall.
§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the average cost of housing benefit payments to(a) tenants of local authorities, (b) tenants of housing associations and (c) tenants of private landlords in the latest year for which the information is available.
§ Mr. BurtI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) on 3 February 1994.