§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons buying their homes are in receipt of mortgages from local authorities.
§ Mr. StanleyAbout 600,000 in the private sector in England and Wales. Information on which to base a similar estimate of the number of former council houses still secured by a council mortgage is not available.
RENT ALLOWANCE FOR PRIVATE LANDLORD AND HOUSING ASSOCIATION TENANTS: ENGLAND AND WALES Direct recipients Indirect recipients (SB recipients) Number of rent allowances granted (April 1979) 208,000 340,000 Average alo wance granted (April 1979) (£ per week) 3.50 2.80 Cost of rlent allowances excluding cost of administration (1978–79) (£ million) 37 50 Source: Local authority returns to Department of Environment and to Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. The estimates for indirect recipients cover only those tenants who receive supplementary benefit for whom local authorities reimburse DHSS in respect of the rent allowance element of the benefit.