§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update the table of estimated gains and losses in paragraph 3.32 of the housing benefit review report (Cmnd. 9520), to take account of his proposals for a capital cut-off for housing benefit claims, for claimants to pay 20 per cent. of rates costs, and for £500 million in savings; and if he will similarly update the figures in paragraph 3.31 for the number who will lose rates and rent help altogether.
§ Mr. NewtonThe Green Paper seeks comments on the proposed new structure of social security. Until that is settled it would not be sensible to attempt to provide a detailed analysis of the impact of the changes. That must await decision about the benefit rates to be adopted in April 1987.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the assumed income support level announced in his Green Paper, from which a 70 per cent. taper would achieve his projected savings in housing benefit of £500 million;
(2) what assumptions he made in calculating the projected savings in housing benefit of £500 million of the numbers of people in 1985–86 who will (a) receive less in housing benefit and (b) lose housing benefit help altogether.
§ Mr. NewtonThe figure of £500 million gives a broad indication of the likely reduction in expenditure on housing benefit following the structural reform proposed in the Green Paper. Until that structure is finalised and the benefit rates and tapers to be adopted in April 1987 are decided, any analysis of the type requested would not be sensible.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his figure of £500 million in savings from housing benefit under his new proposals announced in the Green Paper on the welfare state includes savings from the possible introduction of a requirement for households to pay 20 per cent. of their rates bills.
§ Mr. NewtonYes.