HC Deb 24 October 1972 vol 843 cc260-1W
Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present position regarding attendance allowances and their relation to rate rebates; and whether the Government are prepared to recommend modification of the rules in the interests of tenants suffering considerable hardship.

Mr. Graham Page

I am advised that attendance allowances count as income for the purposes of the existing rate rebate scheme. I have no proposals for changing this scheme, but the Government are now reviewing local government finance in the light of their Green Paper on the subject (Cmnd 4741). This discussed the possible introduction of a new and extended rate rebate scheme in which payments of this kind might be disregarded. The Government's conclusions will be announced in due course.