HC Deb 25 February 2002 vol 380 cc812-3W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many appeals against the decision of rent officers covering the Greater London area there have been in each of the last three years. [37111]

Ms Keeble

The number of appeals against the decision of rent officers covering the Greater London area in each of the last three years was as follows:

Number of appeal
Housing benefit cases Fair rent cases Total
1998–99 2,970 2,583 5,553
1999–2000 2,856 2,607 5,436
2000–01 2,166 1,780 3,946

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many people with an ethnic minority background serve as rent officers in the Greater London area. [37110]

Ms Keeble

The Rent Officer Service (TRS) currently employs 13 rent officers in Greater London who belong to an ethnic minority. In percentage terms this is 13 per cent. of the overall number of rent officers.