§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost to his Department of increased payments of housing beneft arising from the deregulation of rents under the Housing (Scotland) Bill; and what calculations he has made concerning the application of new criteria restricting benefit payments to people who live in unnecessarily large or unnecessarily expensive accommodation.
§ Mr. PortilloIt is not possible to make such estimates with any degree of precision, especially as the detailed arrangements are still under consideration.