§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the impact on the housing benefit budget over each of the next five years if registered rent increases were limited to(a) the RPI, (b) the RPI plus one per cent., (c) the RPI plus five per cent. and (d) the RPI plus 10 per cent. relative to existing spending plans. [52496]
§ Mr. DenhamThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is restricted to the next three years because Departmental spending plans only exist for those years and is set out in the table.
The spending plans assumed that these rents will not increase as quickly as they did in the recent past. However, it is possible that Housing Benefit expenditure on registered rents may actually reduce if the Government proposals on limiting fair rent increases are implemented.
£ million 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 RPI -15 -25 -25 RPI+1 per cent. -10 -20 -25 RPI+5 per cent. -5 -10 -10 RPI+10 per cent. +5 +10 +20