HC Deb 23 January 1973 vol 849 cc100-1W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local housing authorities are known to be exercising their discretion under the Housing Finance Act to offer rebates to war disability pensioners over and above the level normally prescribed under that Act; what proportion this is of all local housing authorities; how many war disability pensioners have received such higher than normal rent rebates; and what proportion this is of all war disability pensioners.

Mr. Channon

This information is not available at present. Information on the first two items will become available after the end of the financial year when authorities have sent copies of their rebate schemes to the Department in accordance with Section 22 of the Act.

Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many war disability pensioners were previously in receipt of rent rebates prior to October 1972; what was their average size of rebate; how many of these rebates were less than £1, more than £1 but less than £2, more than £2 but less than £3, and more than £3 per week; and what proportion of all war disability pensioners were estimated to be receiving rent rebates prior to October 1972.

Mr. Channon

This information is not available since local authorities were not required to inform my right hon. and learned Friend of details of their discretionary rent rebate schemes. However nearly 40 per cent. of all authorities had no rebate scheme at all and so could not have granted these pensioners any special help towards their rents.