§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the working of the rents and rates rebate scheme in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. CarterIn respect of the rent rebate scheme I would refer the hon. Mem-936W ber to the reply given to the question by the hon. Member for Belfast, West (Mr. Fitt) on 1st July 1976. The latest information is as follows. At 31st October 1976 £1.9 million had been paid to the Housing Executive in respect of this scheme. At that date 29,452 tenants had applied for rent rebates of whom 4,855 were getting their full rent rebated. At 30th September 1976 15,094 were receiving rebates and a further 1,008 applications were being processed at that time. The average weekly cost to public funds of the scheme for September 1976 was £37,000. The average rent rebate at 31st October 1976 was £2.18.
The rate rebate scheme in Northern Ireland which applies to occupiers of private dwellings having a rateable value of £750 and under, came into operation on 1st April 1974. Entitlement to rebate is similar to that in the rest of the United Kingdom and is determined by reference to the applicant's personal circumstances, his gross income and his total rate due. For the financial year 1975–76 £1,146,000 was paid in respect of the scheme. At 31st October 1976 approximately 43,000 ratepayers had applied for rate rebates; 38,500 were receiving rebates, of whom 8,000 were getting their full rates rebated. A further 7,500 applications were being processed at that time. It is estimated that in the financial year 1976–77 £1,460,000 will be paid from public funds in respect of the scheme. The average rate rebate is £28.60. [Vol. 914, c. 253–4.]