§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will review the obligation on local authorities to meet their share of the costs of housing benefits for unemployed persons moving in from other areas, where benefits are already being paid by relevant local authorities.
§ Mr. BurtWe have no plans to review the current arrangements which allow housing benefit to meet the commercial rent liability on a property occupied as the main home, providing the level of rent is reasonable. Local authorities are reimbursed for their benefit expenditure through subsidy arrangments.