asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he remains satisfied with transitional arrangements for the start-up of housing benefit where local authorities collect rent weekly in arrears and retirement pensions are paid weekly in advance.

Yes. Retirement pensioners who were entitled to supplementary benefit received a payment in the week commencing 15 November, which included their full housing requirements, as well as receiving a 100 per cent. rebate in respect of the weeks rent and rates due in the week commencing 22 November. In other words, most of them benefited from a double provision in respect of the same week. Rent collection practices are a matter for individual authorities.