HC Deb 26 July 1971 vol 822 c43W
Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what estimate he has made of the likely cost of rent aid received by council house tenants from the Supplementary Benefits Commission once the fair rent provisions contained in the White Paper, Fair Deal for Housing, are applied for the years 1972–73, 1973–74 and 1974–75;

(2) what estimate he has made of the number of council house tenants who will qualify for rent aid over the years 1972–73, 1973–74 and 1974–75.

Mr. Amery

Such estimates would be meaningless since they must depend on the level at which fair rents are fixed and on changes in income levels.

Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's Government intends that the 20 per cent. cost of rent allowances not found by the Exchequer after 1975–76 will be met out of the Housing Revenue Account or via a rate fund contribution.

Mr. Amery

The proposal is that the cost of rent allowances not met by the proposed rent allowance subsidy, together with the cost of administering the scheme, should be met from the authority's general rate fund.