§ 101. Mr. Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a circular to local housing authorities drawing attention to their power to disregard war disability pensions when operating rent rebate schemes.
§ Mr. Julian AmeryI believe that housing authorities are aware of their discretion to disregard such pensions. The Housing Finance Bill makes obligatory a disregard of £2 a week and gives authorities discretion to disregard the whole of a pension.
§ Mr. Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will amend the Rating Act, 1966, to exempt war disability pensions as income for purposes of the rate rebate scheme during the session 1971–72.
§ Mr. Graham PageThe Green Paper "The Future Shape of Local Government Finance" (Cmnd. 4741) outlines a possible new scheme for rate rebates in which up to £2 a week would be disregarded in respect of income from war disability pensions and other payments of a similar kind. Consultations with the local authority associations on the various issues outlined in the Green Paper are now being held; if the Government decide to promote an extended rate rebate scheme, it would be embodied in legislation which they aim to introduce at the earliest opportunity after consultations are complete.