§ Mr. Dorrellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the reduction in housing benefit payable as a result of the announcements in the Chancellor's autumn statement to a married man with two dependent children at the following income levels (a)£100 per week, (b) £140 per week and (c) £200 per week.
§ Dr. BoysonAssuming that one of the couple is an earner and that their income includes child benefit, normally the couple on £100 will actually gain 66p per 121W week next April because of the increase in the dependent child addition to the needs allowances, which has already been announced. The losses of the couple on £140 will depend on their rent and rates. If these are assumed to be £20 and £6 per week respectively, the loss is £3.43 per week. It is not practical to show a typical loss for the couple on £200 because they would have to be paying considerably more than twice the average rent and rents for the country as a whole to get housing benefit at the moment.