§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what level of housing insulation grant he plans to make available to householders who are not claiming housing benefit or supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. John PattenNone. Under the proposed new homes insulation scheme which I announced on 19 December at column756 grants would only be available to eligible householders who are in receipt of housing benefit or supplementary benefit. Our aim is to target help on those who most need it.
§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make 100 per cent. home insulation grants available to any householder claiming either housing benefit or supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. John PattenNo. The proposed new scheme would withdraw the general grant at 66 per cent. but would extend the 90 per cent. grant to all householders who are in receipt of housing benefit or supplementary benefit (provided the other conditions of the scheme are met).
We would normally expect householders to have a stake in this sort of expenditure, to help to ensure that the total amount of expenditure is reasonable.
§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total expenditure level on the homes insulation scheme in 1986; and what is the expected level for 1987.
§ Mr. John PattenI refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, the Member for Surbiton, (Mr. Tracey) to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) on Friday 13 February at column380.
§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of those householders who claimed home insulation grants in 1986 were claiming housing benefit or supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. John PattenThis information is not available.
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§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the percentage of householders in dwellings without loft insulation claiming either housing benefit or supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. John PattenPrecise information is not available, but the Government believe it is sensible to target assistance towards the costs of loft insulation on the households least able to afford it for themselves. On 19 December last, I therefore announced our intention to extend the scheme of 90 per cent. grants for this purpose to all on housing benefit or supplementary benefit.