§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of(a) the annual cost or saving, (b) the numbers of gainers or losers, (c) the average amounts of weekly gains or losses and (d) the maximum amounts of weekly gains and losses in individual cases, which would result from adjustments of the housing benefit taper from 65 per cent. to (i) 50 per cent., (ii) 55 per cent., (iii) 60 per cent., (iv) 70 per cent., (v) 75 per cent. and (vi) 80 per cent.
§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest annual figures for the London 913W borough of Waltham Forest for the number of recipients of income support and housing benefit; and what the comparable figures were for each of the last five years.
§ Mr. BurtThe administration of benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Mr. Michael Bichard to Mr. Neil Gerrard, dated 29 October 1992:
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what are the latest annual figures for the London Borough of Waltham Forest for the number of recipients of Income Support and Housing Benefit; and what were the comparable figures for each of the last five years.The complete information you requested is only available at a disproportionate cost. This is because statistics of a local nature are destroyed at regular intervals in accordance with standing procedures.I have listed below the information available.HOUSING BENEFIT
The administration of Housing Benefit is a matter for Local Authorities. The following information has been obtained from the Housing Benefit Management Information System.
February Numbers 1990 122,862 1991 16,487 1992 18,019 1 This figure includes 5,984 customers in receipt of a rates rebate which altered to Community Charge Benefit by February 1991. INCOME SUPPORT
The figures quoted are for the areas covered by Ilford, Leytonstone and Walthamstow offices, which make up the Benefits Agency's Lea-Roding District. It is not possible to provide a more detailed breakdown because the District boundary does not correspond with that of the London Borough of Walthamstow.
August Numbers 1990 40,394 1991 47,262 1992 55,645 I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to require that all assessors of housing benefit levels disregard in total all war disablement pensions when assessing individual applica-tions for housing benefit.
§ Mr. BurtLocal authorities already have the discretion to disregard war disablement pension in excess of the statutory £10 weekly disregard when assessing entitlement to housing benefit. We have no plans to change these arrangements.