§ Sir B. Rhys Williamsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give such information as he has available as to the numbers of tenants of unfurnished properties who are now eligible for rent allowances, respectively, of up to £2 per week and of £3, £4, £5, £6 and £7 a week or over; and his comparable estimates for numbers of tenants who will become eligible in furnished tenancies.
§ Mr. ChannonI regret that information in this detail is not available, since it would require comprehensive data about tenants' incomes, rents and family circumstances. Our overall estimate is that between 700,000 and 800,000 tenants of unfurnished dwellings are eligible for rent allowances this year, including those in receipt of supplementary benefit. This number will be increased by the uprating of the needs allowances at the end of April. In the unfurnished sector we estimate that on the basis of our proposals perhaps about 120,000 tenants, excluding those in receipt of supplementary benefit, will be eligible.