§ Mr. Geoffrey Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will make available to local authorities the results of his Department's survey of the 100.6 per cent. subsidy paid to local authorities on all certificated housing benefit payments.
§ Dr. BoysonThe Department agreed to look at the feasibility of mounting a retrospective study to validate the premium rate of 0.6 per cent. paid on all certificated benefit costs but has so far been unable to agree with the local authority associations a methodology which is acceptable to both sides.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the local authorities which his Department expects will gain or lose under the 234W proposed 60 per cent. formula for calculating their housing benefit administrative costs for 1984–85; and if he will estimate the gain or loss in each case.
§ Dr. BoysonUntil authorities have submitted their final claims for 1983–84 and 1984–85, it will not be possible to make reliable comparisons, by authority, of the amounts of direct reimbursement between the two years. However, on average, we expect a higher proportion of overall administration costs to be subsidised directly by the Department this year.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will publish the method of calculation that was used by his Department to arrive at the suggested formula for assessment of the administrative costs to local authorities of transferred housing benefit cases.
§ Dr. BoysonVarious factors were taken into account, including work by the Department's operational research service based on data from the "Annual Statistical Enquiry", the "Family Expenditure Survey" and local authorities. The weightings in the formula which resulted were devised in conjunction with, and agreed by, the local authority associations.
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of raising the housing benefit needs allowance for claimants other than pensioners to the same level as pensioners receive; and what is the cost of each £1 rise in the needs allowances.
§ Dr. BoysonThe estimated annual cost of raising the level of the needs allowances, applicable to non-pensioners in November 1984, by 80p, the amount of the pensioner addition, would be approximately £7 million. The estimated annual cost of increasing the needs allowances, applicable in November 1984, by an additional £1 for all categories of claimants would be about £35 million.