§ Mr. Raynsfordasked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Howell) on 26 June, Official Report, column 266, is she will state the total cost of rent rebates, rent allowances, rate rebates and mortgage interest tax relief, respectively, in 1979 and 1985; and if she will estimate how many people with incomes in excess of £20,000 a year are receiving each rebate, allowance or relief.
§ The Prime MinisterThe information requested on expenditure on housing benefits and revenue forgone on mortgage interest relief is as follow:
217W
(£ million) *1979–80 *1985–86 Great Britain Rent Rebates 640 2,290
*1979–80 *1985–86 Rent Allowances 160 780 Rate Rebates 450 1,520 United Kingdom Mortgage interest tax relief 1,450 4,750 Option mortgage relief 190 — * Housing benefit information relating to 1979–80 comprises expenditure under the former DOE rebate schemes and that for similar help through supplementary benefit. Housing benefit figures for 1985–86 are provisional. It is most unlikely that anyone with an income in excess of £20,000 a year is receiving housing benefit, but information is not available to make a reliable estimate. The estimated numbers with such incomes with mortgage interest tax relief are 110,000 in 1979–80 and 900,000 in 1985–86; similar estimates relating to option mortgage relief in 1979–80 are not available.