§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what assistance he proposes to give local authorities who already have a backlog of housing benefit cases to help them implement the recently announced housing benefit changes.
§ Dr. BoysonThe revised proposals which are to be introduced in April are all relatively straightforward and the local authority associations have agreed that local authorities should be able to bring them into effect in the time available. The more complex changes are being deferred to November. These will be in included in later regulations which will be made in good time for authorities to implement them by November.
§ Mr. Tony Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has issued any guidelines on the making of interim payments or advice about the possibility of interim payments to people who receive housing benefit and about