§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list (i) the expenditure on housing benefit rate rebates or poll tax benefit or community charge benefit in each region and nation for 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92 and (ii) the number of claimants of each benefit in each region or nation; and if he will express the payments as a figure of expenditure per head in each region or nation.
§ Mr. BurtThe available information is in the tables:
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(ii) Caseload (Number of claimants)1 Region 1988–89 21989–90 31990–91 1991–92 South East (excluding London) 666,200 637,200 929,000 891,000 London 645,300 620,800 724,400 732,700 North (including Cumbria) 365,900 356,500 504,200 446,500 Yorkshire and Humberside 504,500 493,300 664,500 635,100 East Midlands 325,000 313,000 430,300 392,100 East Anglia 148,200 141,700 279,000 257,700 South West 326,300 319,300 477,100 453,400 West Midlands 522,400 498,900 687,800 691,000 North West (excluding Cumbria) 700,200 694,100 960,300 875,500 All England 4,204,000 4,074,700 5,656,600 5,734,900 Wales 253,700 251,800 383,700 324,600 Scotland 624,700 850,300 690,600 640,300 1 The numbers given are in benefit units and are averages of the four quarters figures for each year, including estimates for non responding authorities. A benefit unit may be a single person or a couple. 2 The Community Charge was introduced in Scotland in April 1989. The figure given for Scotland for 1989–90 is the Community Charge rebate caseload. 3 The Community Charge replaced domestic rates in England and Wales in April 1990. AH figures for 1990–91 and 1991–92,therefore, refer to Community Charge Benefit.
(iii) Expenditure per case (£/year)1 Region 1988–89 21989–90 31990–91 1991–92 South East (excluding London) 270 290 390 280 London 330 360 400 280 North (including Cumbria) 250 270 360 290 Yorkshire and Humberside 230 260 330 260 East Midlands 270 280 420 350 East Anglia 240 270 290 270 South West 230 260 360 280 West Midlands 280 320 400 300 North West (excluding Cumbria) 300 340 390 320 England 280 300 380 290 Wales 190 200 240 140 Scotland 270 250 320 260 1 The caseloads and expenditures from which the average amounts per case are derived are not measured in the same way. The caseloads are from four point in time counts for each year. Expenditure figures refer to the whole year. Amounts of benefit refer to the benefit unit (including couples) and, therefore, in 1990–91 and 1991–92, should not be linked with average Community Charges, which are expressed as the charge per person. 2 Due to the introduction of Community Charge in Scotland in April 1989, the 1989–90 figure for Scotland is for Community Charge rebate. 3 All figures for 1990–91 and 1991–92 refer to Community Charge Benefit.