HC Deb 25 March 2002 vol 382 cc640-1W
Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to reform nondependent deductions for housing benefit and council tax benefits. [42257]

Malcolm Wicks

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 14 November 2001,Official Report, column 787W.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the specific measures were of the direction issued to Hackney Council for the improvement of its administration of housing benefit and council tax benefit. [44304]

Malcolm Wicks

The housing benefit direction issued on 12 October 2001 to the London borough of Hackney, under section 15 of the Local Government Act 1999, required the authority to achieve the following:

  1. (a) clear its backlog of benefits work by 31 December 2001;
  2. (b) in completing this action, satisfy itself on an on-going basis that it was acting lawfully and properly by carrying out appropriate checks;
  3. (c) clear the backlog of work without adversely affecting the speed and accuracy of non-backlog housing benefit and council tax benefit work.

A copy of the direction is available in the Library.