§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will show the effects of the proposed community charge benefit taper of 15 per cent., with tapers of(a) 20 per cent., (b) 12.5 per cent., (c) 10 per cent, and (d) 7.5 per cent., by showing for each of these tapers the cost at 1988–89 prices of paying community charge benefit to each of the following categories of income units, showing for each category how many income units he estimates would actually receive community charge benefit and how many would be entitled to community charge benefit (i) all income units, (ii) income units consisting of a single person over pensionable age, (iii) income units consisting of a couple both of whom are over pensionable age, (iv) income units consisting of a single person with dependent children, (v) income units consisting of a single person of less than pensionable age without dependent children, (vi) income units consisting of a married or cohabiting couple one or both of whom is of less than pensionable age, without dependent children, (vii) income units consisting of a married or cohabiting couple with dependent children and (viii) any income units not included in the categories above;
(2) what he now estimates will be (a) the total cost of community charge benefits in 1990–91 at 1988–89 prices, (b) the total number of income units in receipt of community charge benefits in 1990–91, (c) the total number of income units entitled to community charge benefits, whether or not they claim and receive benefit, (d) the total cost in 1988–89 of rate rebates, (e) the total number of income units in households which are in receipt of rate rebates in 1988–89, (f) the total number of income units in households which are entitled to rate rebates on 1988–89, whether or not rebate is actually claimed and received and (g) the cost of administering rate rebates in 1988–89 and the cost of administering community charge benefits in 1990–91, at 1988–89 prices; and if he will attribute any additional cost of community charge benefit compared to rate rebates to (i) payment of benefit to non-householders, (ii) the reduction in the taper from 20 per cent, to 15 per cent., (iii) increased administrative costs and (iv) other reasons.