§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide as much information as is available to him regarding the take-up of poll tax benefit, with a local breakdown showing the number of successful applicants in each local area and the range of benefit levels awarded.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardEstimates of levels of take-up of community charge benefit can be obtained only when data from the relevant family expenditure survey become available. Figures for the numbers of benefit recipients in each local authority area will be available in due course but it will not be possible to provide a breakdown of the range of benefit levels awarded.
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§ Mr. MarlowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to give a substantive reply to the question from the hon. Member for Northampton, North about community charge rebate for pensioners, tabled for priority written answer on 15 February.
§ Mrs Gillian ShephardI have answered my hon. Friend's question today.
§ Mr. MarlowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the increased cost of community charge rebate if the rebates available to pensioners were unaffected by their savings which would not be taken into account.
§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard[holding answer 15 February 1990]: Information is not available to make precise estimates, but it seems probable that expenditure on community charge benefit would increase by between £175 million and £225 million if the capital limit were abolished for pensioners and no income was assumed to be derived from their capital holdings.