§ Mr. Hamlingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of rent-rebate officers and assisting staff who will need to be appointed to implement the rent-rebate provisions in the Housing Finance Bill; and what is the estimated annual cost of operating the provision.
§ Mr. ChannonSome local authorities already have rent rebate arrangements comparable with the scheme scheduled to the Housing Finance Bill. They can switch to the new statutory arrangements without appreciable trouble or expense. Others give no rent rebates, or inadequate ones; for them, the cost of adopting enlightened practices will be greater. Without examining the individual adminstrative systems of well over 1,000 authorities there is no way of amplifying the general statement in the final paragraph of the Explanatory and Financial Memorandum to the Bill.