§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the total cost of mortgage interest payments in respect of supplementary benefit recipients for each of the years 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984.
§ Mr. NewtonInformation is not available in the precise form requested. The estimated amount of money added in the assessment for mortgage interest and ground rent, together with the number of claimants for each year from 1979 is as follows:
Year Claimants Amount added in assessment (£ million) 1979 98,000 31 1980 134,000 71 1981 196,000 124 1982 235,000 170 1983 242,000 *150 1984 n/y/a * Excludes Ground Rent Source: Annual Statistical Enquiries