§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the annual average real rise in private rents eligible for housing benefit in(a) 1988–89, (b) 1989–90, and (c) 1990–91.
§ Mr. PortilloThe expenditure plans published in Cm. 288 are based on the assumption that, leaving aside the effects of the Government's proposals to decontrol new private lettings, rents paid by private tenants receiving housing benefits will increase in real terms by 3 per cent. in each of the three years 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.