§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will reconsider his decision to prevent local authorities from paying housing benefit in advance to housing associations. [9925]
§ Mr. Roger EvansProposals for changing the rules for paying housing benefit from payment wholly or partly in advance to payment in arrears were put to the Social Security Advisory Committee and the local authority associations in December 1995. The committee decided108W to consult more widely on the proposals with interested bodies. Its report and the views of the local authority associations are due in February and will be taken fully into account when deciding what changes, if any, should be made to the housing benefit rules.
§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to place in the Library the report of research undertaken by the Benefits Agency Security, benefit review team, into housing benefit fraud. [10495]
§ Mr. Roger EvansI refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to the hon. Member for Ayr (Mr. Gallie) on 19 January 1996,Official Report, Column 834.