§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's central computerised system of payment will be used to operate the system of transitional protection for housing benefit claimants;
(2) if during the period of transitional protection for housing benefit claimants he intends to operate an opting-in system.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 30 June 1988]: The housing benefit transitional payment scheme will be administered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for tenants and by the Department of the Environment rating division for owner-occupiers. As far as possible both organisations will identify housing benefit losers likely to qualify for transitional payments and will issue invitations to them to apply.
A leaflet will also be made available, including an application form, for any housing benefit loser who has not been contacted by the end of August and thinks he or she may qualify.
§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the numbers of gainers and losers in Northern Ireland as a result of the housing benefit changes as a whole, and the numbers of people who have gained(a) more than £5, (b) between £4 and £5, (c) between £3 and £4, (d) between £2 and £3, (e) between £1 and £2, and (f) less than £1, and the numbers who have lost (i) less than £1, (ii) between and £2, (iii) between £2 and £3, (iv) between £3 and £4, (v) between £4 and £5, (vi) between £5 and £10, (vii) £10 and £15 and (viii) more than £15.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 11 July 1988]: The only information readily available is as follows:
Ranges Gainers Losers Under £1 pw 39,672 11,320 £1 to £1.99 30,476 6,977 £2 to £2.99 3,250 3,351 £3 to £3.99 2,498 1,880 £4 to £4.99 2,279 1,236 £5 and over 6,057 6,633 Totals 84,232 31,397 Note:
The figures relate to tenants who renewed their claims to housing benefit in April 1988 and take no account of awards expected to be made by way of transitional protection.
§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements will be made in Northern Ireland to limit the losses caused by the changes in housing benefit implemented in April.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 11 July 1988]: A housing benefit transitional payments scheme, similar to the 255W scheme announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services on 27 April 1988, will operate in Northern Ireland.
The scheme will be administered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.