§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the date of the first payment of rate rebate to Lambeth council in the financial year 1985–86; and what interest accrued to public funds as a result of it not being paid at an earlier date;
(2) what is the current annual cost of housing benefit in Lambeth and the cost of administering the scheme.
§ Mr. MajorThe first payment on account of rate rebate subsidy to Lambeth for the year 1985–86 was made on 15 July. On the second point, it is not possible to give a figure since the calculation would depend on hypothetical assumptions about how central Government's financing would have been carried out in other circumstances.
Latest estimates provided by the London borough of Lambeth indicate that the cost of housing benefit in 1985–86 is expected to be £49 million and the cost of its administration is expected to be £2.5 million.