§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the purpose of (a) the group discussions and (b) the in-depth interviews which will form part of the research being financed by his Department into people's attitude towards rent allowances; and what is the estimated cost of this research;
(2) what previous research has been officially financed into people's attitudes 311W towards rent allowances or similar matters; what was the cost to public funds; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what is the estimated length of time that the research being carried out by his Department into people's attitudes towards rent allowances will take.
§ Mr. StanleyThe purpose of this research is to examine the attitudes of those eligible for rent allowances who do not claim them, with a view to finding, if possible, means of achieving greater take-up in accordance with the Government's election manifesto. The cost is estimated at £16,000, and the work should take about six months. No directly comparable research has been undertaken previously. However, studies were undertaken in the mid 1970s (at Haringey, Bristol and Westminster) concerned with the effectiveness of various forms of publicity, including door to door canvassing. In adition, the OPCS in its private rented sector survey has sought to establish the degree of awareness of the availability of rent allowances among tenants.