§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what will be the cost of(a) not extending the restriction on housing benefit to the single room rent to people aged 25 to 59 years from October 1997 and (b) adjusting the level of non-dependant deductions from April 1998. [7595]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyThe cost of not extending the restriction on housing benefit to the single room rent to people aged 25 to 59 years from October 1997 is £6 million; £47 million; £69 million for the financial years 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–00 respectively.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced, as part of our commitment to keep spending within the planned ceiling for Social Security expenditure, our decision to review the levels of non-dependant deductions from April 1998. A final decision on the levels of deductions will not be taken until our annual review of benefit rates is completed later in the year. We will announce the outcome of the review on non-dependant deductions at that time.