HC Deb 19 February 1981 vol 999 cc215-6W
Mr. Dewar

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many private sector tenants were in receipt of rent allowances in furnished and unfurnished accommodation, respectively, for the latest convenient period; what was the cost of these allowances; and what were the comparable figures for 1977 and 1978.

Mr. Rifkind

The number of allowances paid to private tenants and the amounts involved as at September 1980 are set out below. A breakdown between allowances paid in respect of furnished and unfurnished accommodation is not available.

Private sector tenants Total and cost
Number 20,818
Average Annual Amount £176.60
Total Amount £3,676,499

Information relating to rent allowances as at September 1977 and September 1978 was published in Scottish Housing Statistics Nos. 1 and 5.

Mr. Dewar

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost of rent rebates in Scotland for the

£ million at 1979 Survey prices
1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84
Agriculture and fisheries 181 119 137 109 95 132 110 110 110 100
Industry, energy, trade and employment (excluding tourism) 59 34 108 84 92 102 108 100 100 100
Other public services 32 42 42 43 45 43 44
Common Services 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 40 40 40
Other Services:
Industry, energy, trade and employment (tourism only) 4 3 3 3 4 4 4 …* …* …*
Roads and transport 304 320 299 307 325 313 303 300 280 280
Housing 752 742 710 671 652 702 603 520 470 410
Other environmental services 399 459 387 354 385 401 379 360 340 340
Law, order and protective services 198 212 210 199 203 217 221 220 230 230
Education, arts and libraries 933 979 964 936 941 945 900 880 870 860
Health and personal social services 946 975 990 1,000 1,046 1,041 1,067 1,080 1,110 1,120
Total other services 3,536 3,690 3,563 3,470 3,556 3,623 3,479 3,380 3,290 3,240
Total expenditure within the Secretary of State's responsibility 3,809 3,886 3,850 3,706 3,788 3,900 3,741 3,630 3,540 3,490

latest convenient period; what percentage this represents of the total cost of rent rebates; and what were the comparable figures for 1977.

Mr. Rifkind

As at September 1980 the annual cost of public sector rent rebates in Scotland was £47.4 million or 15.6 per cent. of the total cost of the public sector rent rebates for Great Britain as a whole. The comparable figures for 1977 are, respectively, £30.2 million and 14.8 per cent. These figures do not take account of support towards housing costs paid through supplementary benefit.

Mr. Dewar

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can give, for the latest convenient period, the average rent rebate paid to local authority tenants in Scotland expressed as a percentage of the rent payable to the local authority.

Mr. Rifkind

As at September 1980 the average rent rebate paid to local authority tenants in Scotland in receipt of rent rebates amounted to 62.4 per cent. of the average standard local authority rent.