HC Deb 12 April 1988 vol 131 cc118-9W
Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will name the 45 local councils listed in his Department's housing benefit reform implementation progress report as not being ready to meet the deadline of 1 to 4 April for the implementation of the new housing benefit scheme;

(2) if he will name the local councils which indicated in their replies to his Department's survey, "Housing Benefit Reforms April 1988: Progress on Implementation—Progress Report Form A", that they expect problems and delays with their computer software;

(3) if he will name the local councils which indicated in their replies to his Department's survey, "Housing Benefit Reforms April 1988: Progress on Implementation—Progress Report Form A", that they expect problems and delays in training staff;

(4) if he will name the local councils which indicated in their reply to his Department's survey, "Housing Benefit Reforms April 1988: Progress on Implementation—Progress Report Form A", that they expect problems and delays in converting existing cases to the new housing benefit scheme;

(5) if he will place in the Library the detailed responses from each local council replying to his Department's survey, "Housing Benefit Reforms April 1988: Progress on Implementation".

Mr. Portillo

I have placed in the Library a summary of the responses received to the questionnaire issued to local authorities by the Department in January of this year. It is not our practice to publish correspondence with individual authorities.