§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish his estimates of(a) the amount included in his departmental budget to cover the 20 per cent. poll tax concessions required from those on income support and (b) the amount to be actually paid in poll tax by all those on income support.
§ Miss WiddecombeIncome-related benefit levels were adjusted in April 1989 to include help towards the 20 per cent. contribution that beneficiaries have to pay. That help is now an integral part of benefit levels which were uprated in April 1990 and April 1991. The estimated cost of the adjustment for 1991–92 is £580 million for all income-related benefits. These benefit levels will be uprated further from April 1992. The total cost of community charge due to be paid by people on income support in the current year is estimated to be £200 million.
Source: Modelling using data drawn from the 1986/7/8 Family Expenditure Surveys at 1991–92 prices and benefit.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give an estimate of the total amount of poll tax collected in 1990–91 from direct deductions from benefit.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.