§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many staff at local and national level are dealing with estate rate heating additions; and how many applications for the rate have been waiting (a) up to three months, (b) three to six months or (c) longer.
§ Dr. BoysonThe arrangements in local offices for giving initial consideration to whether particular estates should be designated as qualifying for estate rate heating additions vary from office to office, and no estimate can be made of the number of staff involved. At headquarters, a total of four staff spend varying proportions of their time considering submissions for designation from local offices. No information is available about the time taken by local offices to make the necessary inquiries before submitting the case to headquarters. There are currently 130 cases at headquarters on which a final decision has not yet been taken. Forty nine of these cases were first referred to headquarters more than three months ago and three of these more than six months ago; in most of these cases a decision on designation has had to be delayed pending receipt of further information; for example, from fuel boards or housing authorities.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which estates on Merseyside are covered by certificates for estate rate heating additions; and which further properties are being considered.
§ Dr. BoysonOne estate in Merseyside (Towerhill, Kirkby) was designated as disproportionately expensive to heat on 30 November 1982. No other estates in Merseyside have been designated and no other estates are currently being considered for designation centrally. Tenants in many local authority estates in the area pay fixed charges 159W for their heating with their rent: estate rate heating additions do not apply to such estates as separate supplementary benefit and housing benefit provisions apply.