HC Deb 29 February 2000 vol 345 cc236-7W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Marsden) of 7 February 2000, Official Report, column 57W, what changes to single room rent restrictions on young people aged under 25 years he plans in order to address the localised difficulties caused by the present rules; and if he will make a statement. [111723]

Angela Eagle

We are considering the future of the single room rent as part of our wider review of housing. We will be taking account of all the available research which will include the localised reports we received from a variety of organisations on the effects of the single room rent, and the research we commissioned jointly with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on Housing Benefit and the private rented sector to gauge the effects of the rent restriction rules which were introduced in 1996.