§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received a copy of "Families Rent Apart", published by the Child Poverty Action Group and Youthaid on the effect on families with working children living at home of the reductions in the parents' entitlement to housing benefit; if he will meet the authors of the pamphlet; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyWe have not received a copy of the pamphlet and we have no plans to meet the pamphlet's authors.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the best available estimate of the number of families whose entitlement to housing benefit has been reduced as a result of the introduction in April 1984 of reductions for parents whose children are working and living at home; and what is the best available estimate of the number of families now claiming housing benefit who have working children living at home.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe information is not available in the precise form requested. The table gives estimates relating 167W to households containing non-dependants aged 18 to pension age affected by the increases in the housing benefit non-dependant deductions in April 1984.
Thousands, Great Britain Standard cases Certificated cases (Those in receipt of supplementary benefit) Household contains one or more non-dependants aged: 18–20 80 225 21-pension age 275 An estimated 115,000 households were affected by the introduction of a non-dependant deduction for 16–17 year olds from November 1984. More recent information relating to the numbers of households affected by these non-dependant deductions is not available.