§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how his proposals on future arrangements for supplementary benefit mortgage interest will affect students.
§ Mr. NewtonThe mortgage interest proposals, which were referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee on 15 May, do not include any special provisions for students. Anyone aged under 60 will have 50 per cent. of his mortgage interest repayment included in his assessment initially and for up to 26 weeks of his supplementary benefit payments. Thereafter, should he still be receiving benefit, the full interest repayment will be included. Separate proposals referred to the Social Security 573W Advisory Committee on 7 January provide that most students will not qualify for supplementary benefit except during the summer vacation.