§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many private tenants other than supplementary benefit recipients are estimated to be eligible for rent allowances under the Housing Finance Act; how many have been awarded these allowances each week since 1st January; and what was the average size of these allowances;
(2) how many private tenants, apart from those in receipt of supplementary benefit, have so far been awarded a rent allowance; and what was the average weekly amount of allowances thus awarded.
§ Mr. EyreOur estimate of the number of eligible private tenants is between 700,000 and 800,000, of whom about 260,000 are in receipt of supplementary benefit. The answers to the rest of the Question are not available, and would require a special return from local authorities which is not justified.