§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much of Birmingham's HRA notional rent surplus has been spent on rent rebates in each of the past five years; how much he estimates will be spent in this way in the(a) current and (b) forthcoming financial year; and for each year what his estimates are of the (i) number and (ii) proportion of tenants not in receipt of rent rebates. [148641]
Mr. Robert AinsworthThe table shows the surpluses on the Housing Element of Birmingham's Housing Revenue Account which have been or will be deducted from the authority's entitlement to rent rebate subsidy.
To give a fuller picture of housing support provided by the Government to Birmingham, the table also shows the Housing Investment Programme allocation made to the authority in each year.
We do not have figures for the number of tenants who are not in receipt of rent rebates but the table shows the estimated proportion of rental income which is not rebated.
Figures for 2001–02 are not available but, following the introduction of the Major Repairs Allowance, it is very likely that Birmingham will have a positive housing element in 2001–02 and, therefore, no surplus to apply to its rent rebates.
Financial year National Housing Element Surplus deducted from rent rebate subsidy £ million Housing Investment Programme and Capital Receipts Initiative allocations £ million Estimated percentage of rental income not rebated Percentage 1995–96 — 38.9 28 1996–97 3.63 38.6 29 1997–98 5.88 34.1 30 1998–99 9.54 44.5 31 1999–2000 9.40 45.1 31 2000–011 8.83 80.9 30 1Provisional Note:
percentage of income not rabated estimated by comparing rent rebate spending with income from rents and service charges as recorded on Housing Revenue Account subsidy claim forms.
385W