§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) domestic and (b) other ratepayers in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years and the current year in each council area in Northern Ireland received a rate rebate of (1) 20 per cent. to 29 per cent., (2) 30 per cent. to 39 per cent., (3) 40 per cent. to 49 per cent., (4) 50 per cent. to 59 per cent., (5) 60 per cent. to 69 per cent., (6) 70 per cent. to 79 per cent., (7) 80 per cent. to 89 per cent. and (8) 90 per cent. or over of their rates; and what percentage of the total ratepayers each such cohort of ratepayers represented.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 22 October 1990]: Housing benefit is granted only to domestic ratepayers and the schedule shows the total number of ratepayers by district council area who were in receipt of benefit for the last five years and the current year—column A—and the percentage of domestic ratepayers that this represents—column B. Figures relating to the percentage bands requested are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 District council A B A B A B A B A B A B Newry 10,591 41.6 11,254 43.4 11,131 42.5 7,787 29.3 8,066 30.0 8,174 30.2 Newtownabbey 8,035 29.8 8,631 31.7 8,193 29.7 5,013 18.0 5,715 20.3 5,703 20.2 North Down 6,416 24.5 6,239 23.3 6,166 22.7 4,318 15.7 4,357 15.5 4,352 15.3 Omagh 5,023 37.7 5,088 37.5 5,270 38.0 3,508 25.0 3,546 25.0 3,641 25.5 Strabane 5,007 45.7 5,205 46.8 5,075 45.1 3,644 31.9 3,689 31.9 3,715 31.9 Total 196,625 36.2 197,284 35.8 195,593 35.0 140,518 24.8 142,687 24.9 142,507 24.7 Column A—Total number of ratepayers receiving housing benefit. Column B—Ratepayers receiving housing benefit as a percentage of total domestic ratepayers.