§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from the National Housing and Town Planning Council concerning student financial support; and what consideration he has given to allowing students to claim year-round housing benefit.
51W
§ Mr. HagueI received a copy of the report, "Making a difference: Housing Benefit for students", published by the National Housing and Town Planning council on 23 June 1993. Following publication, the NHTPC wrote to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt), on two further occasions about the reinstatement of housing benefit to full-time students. In general, it is the educational maintenance system which is designed to provide for full-time students, and we have no plans to change this.
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount paid in housing benefit for the last three years for which figures are available; what was the total Government spending on the housing benefit direct benefit subsidy during these years; and what is the implied percentage of total housing benefit paid by local authorities which is reimbursed by the central Government direct benefit subsidy.
§ Mr. HagueThe information is in the table:
£ million 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 Total housing benefit 4,942 5,997 7,604 Total direct subsidy 4,378 5,337 6,613 Percentage of total housing benefit expenditure met by direct subsidy 89 89 87 Source: Social Security Departmental Report—March 1994.
Note: Since 1990–91, the bulk of rent rebate subsidy in England and Wales has been paid by the Department of the Environment as part of the housing revenue account arrangements. These figures include elements of DoE rent rebate subsidy net of any housing revenue account surpluses that are used to offset these amounts.
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for the last three years for which figures are available, what was the total amount of subsidy paid in benefit in respect of vulnerable groups under regulation 11 of the housing benefit regulations; and, for the same period, what was the total amount paid as a subsidy to local authorities.
§ Mr. HagueThe information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
Table 1 Subsidy paid to local authorities for housing benefit expenditure on claimants protected by regulation 11 of the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations Year £ million 1990–91 11.5 1991–92 14.5 1992–93 18.5 Source: Housing benefit final subsidy claim forms.
Notes:
1. The figures quoted represent subsidy paid to local authorities of rent allowance spending above the rent officer's reasonable market rent figure where benefit could not be restricted under the provisions of regulation 11. Local authorities are not required to record their total benefit expenditure on claimants protected by regulation 11.
52W2. Groups protected by regulation 11 include not only "vulnerable groups"—people aged over 60, incapable of work or with responsibility for children—but also those who were able to afford the accommodation when they first took it on and those who have recently been bereaved.
Table 2 Total housing benefit subsidy paid to local authorities £ million 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 Rent allowances 1,530 2,154 2,894 Rent rebates 2,848 3,183 3,719 Grand total 4,378 5,337 6,613 Source: Social Security departmental Report 1994.