HC Deb 26 March 1990 vol 170 cc81-2W
Mr. Dewar

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will bring forward proposals to backdate the increase in capital exemptions for poll tax rebates announced in the Budget to cover Scotland in 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

My right hon. and learned Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, has announced a scheme of ex-gratia payments which will benefit an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 individual chargepayers. The scheme will be administered and paid for by my right hon. and learned Friend's Department.

Mr. Home Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Scotland had savings between £8,000 and £16,000 which had the effect of restricting their entitlement to income support and to poll tax rebate in 1989–90; and what the cost of such income support and rebates would be for those figures.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

It is estimated that some 15,000 to 20,000 individual chargepayers in Scotland in 1989–90, may have had, or shared, capital of between £8,000 and £16,000 which would have disentitled them from community charge rebates. The cost may have been up to £4 million. No estimates for income support are available.