§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Social Services what is his latest estimate of how many people have lost entitlements to receive housing benefit as a result of recent changes to the social security system.
§ Mr. PortilloI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 7 June 1988 at column561.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Social Services if he will make it his policy, in responding to hon. Members' representations on behalf of constituents affected by changes in the calculation of entitlement to housing benefit, to comment on the individual concerns of each constituent rather than issuing a duplicate reply.
§ Mr. PortilloThe appropriate reply to a letter from hon. Members is always judged according to the letter in question. When we receive a large volume of correspondence about a single subject, it is often appropriate to use a comprehensive standard reply. This ensures that hon. Members receive a consistent explanation of Government policy and that replies are sent out as quickly as possible. If Ministers were to ask for a detailed report on the individual circumstances in every case affected by a change of policy, and to reply accordingly, this would result in inordinate expense and delay.
Local authorities are best placed to explain the detail of the calculations they have made in individual housing benefit cases.
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§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the cost of restoring the housing benefit to all those who will not gain from the transitional arrangements.
§ Mr. Portillo[holding answer 3 May 1988]: The cost would be very substantial, but would largely depend on the manner in which losses were restored and the account that was taken of increases in other benefits.
§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if local authorities are able to submit details of claimants' housing benefit losses of more than £2.50 direct to his Department's central unit responsible for making transitional payments.
§ Mr. Portillo[holding answer 20 May 1988]: An applicant for transitional payments will have to give his consent to the transfer if any information between his local authority and the transitional payments unit. This has been taken into account in the discussions with the local authorities associations on the detailed arrangements for handling applications for transitional payments and obtaining the necessary information.
§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to provide a substantive reply to the question from the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford, which received a holding answer on 20 May, concerning claims in respect of housing benefit losses of more than £2.50; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloI replied to the hon. Member today.