§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what assessment he has made of the implications of European legislation or of decisions of Community institutions with regard to any decision by Her Majesty's Government as to whether family credit should be payable on a sexually defined basis.
382Winterest and/or ground rent together with the average weekly payment and the estimated total cost of these payments for each year since 1976 is as follows:
Year Claimants Average weekly amount (£) Total cost (£ million) 1976 123,000 4.22 27 1977 124,000 5.12 33 1978 105,000 4.81 26 1979 98,000 5.96 31 1980 134,000 10.18 71 1981 196,000 12.18 124 1982 235,000 13.87 170 1983 242,000 12.12 †150 *1984 277,000 n/a n/a 1985 n/a n/a n/a * Provisional. †Mortgage interest has only been collected as a separate item since 1983. Previous estimates were based on owner occupiers' residual housing costs (that is after the deduction of rates.water rates, and repairs/ insurance) and included an element for ground rent. n/a Not vet available.