HC Deb 23 May 1990 vol 173 cc205-6W
122. Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will detail the numbers of those claiming rebates under the terms of the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Information about the number of recipients of community charge benefit will be available in the Autumn of this year and details of the number of claims for community charge benefit will be available in 1991. It is estimated that the average number of community charge benefit cases in Great Britain in 1990–91 will be in excess of 8 million which, since a couple are treated as one benefit unit, equates with about 10 million individuals.

123. Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received concerning eligibility for community charge rebates.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mrs. Fyfe) on 28 March at column204–5. In the two months since that reply, the Department has received a further 985 items of correspondence about the community charge benefit scheme.