HC Deb 30 March 1984 vol 57 cc349-50W
Mr. Corbett

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what, for each year since its introduction, has been the cost of the estate rate heating addition paid in respect of blocks built by the Bison system, listed by each local authority area;

(2) whether he will estimate the number of tenants living in blocks built by the Bison system who are currently in receipt of estate rate heating addition; and how this compares with the position each year since the introduction of estate rate heating addition.

Dr. Boyson

Information is not available centrally to show whether individual estates designated as qualifying for estate rate heating additions are built by the Bison system. Information relating to all estate rate heating additions is as follows:

End 1982 End 1983 28 March 1984
Total number of certificates issued (each certificate may relate to a widely varying number of properties) 54 217 241
Estimated total number of supplementary benefit claimants entitled to estate rate heating addition 10,000 40,000 50,000

It is estimated that the net cost of estate rate heating additions is currently about £7 million per annum.

Mr. Corbett

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list those Bison blocks in Birmingham by name, location and size, which have been designated as qualifying for estate rate heating addition.

Dr. Boyson

A total of 281 tower blocks in the Birmingham area have so far been designated as qualifying for estate rate heating additions. No information is available centrally to show which of these were built by the Bison system or the sizes of individual blocks. The blocks are distributed as follows:

Number of Blocks Designated as Qualifying for Estate Rate Heating Additions
DHSS Local Office Area Numbers
Bradford St. 18
Edgbaston 58
Erdington 76
Handsworth 29
Ladywood 24
Northfield 46
Ravenhurst 10
South Yardley 9
Sparkhill 1
Washwood Heath 10
Total—Birmingham area 281

I will send the hon. Member a list of all the properties that have been designated in the Erdington area.