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Mr. Frank Field
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail on an annual basis the increase in the real value of national insurance pensions over (a) the period 1974 to 1979 and (b) the period 1979 to 1987.
Mr. Scott
The information requested is in the table.
| Real-terms Increase in Retirement Pension at Uprating date 1974 to 1988 | |
| Uprating | Increase |
| (per cent.) | |
| July 1974 | 13·7 |
| April 1975 | -1·4 |
| November 1975 | 2·6 |
| November 1976 | 0·1 |
| November 1977 | 1·2 |
| November 1978 | 3·1 |
| November 1979 | 1·8 |
| November 1980 | 1·0 |
| November 1981 | -2·6 |
| November 1982 | 4·4 |
| November 1983 | -1·1 |
| November 1984 | 0·2 |
| November 1985 | 1·4 |
| July 1986 | -0·6 |
| April 1987 | -2·2 |
| April 1988 | 0·2 |
| Housing Benefit: Recipients and Average Amounts 1979–1988 | ||||||
| Rent rebate | Rent allowance | Rate rebate | ||||
| numbers | amount | numbers | amount | numbers | amount | |
| ('000's) | (£ annum) | ('000's) | (£ annum) | ('000's) | (£ annum) | |
| 1979–80 | 1,205 | 197·51 | 220 | 181·82 | 3,065 | 65·25 |
| 1980–81 | 1,330 | 238·35 | 240 | 200·00 | 3,350 | 79·70 |
| 1981–82 | 1,590 | 312·58 | 250 | 200·00 | 3,700 | 101·08 |
| 1982–83 | 3,050 | 304·59 | 260 | 284·62 | 5,320 | 126·50 |
| 1983–84 | 3,735 | 530·12 | 1,015 | 528·08 | 7,020 | 173·79 |
| 1984–85 | 3,745 | 572·76 | 1,080 | 637·04 | 7,230 | 188·11 |
| 1985–86 | 3,710 | 618·33 | 1,150 | 726·09 | 7,020 | 215·10 |
| 1986–87 | 3,720 | 650·81 | 1,180 | 802·54 | 7,050 | 234·04 |
| 1987–88 | 3,760 | 681·65 | 1,250 | 845·60 | 7,030 | 250·36 |
| 1988–89 | 3,430 | 799·43 | 1,055 | 1,070·14 | 5,845 | 237·49 |
Notes:
The number of recipients is the estimated average number receiving benefit.
There is a significant overlap between the three categories tabled as most households receiving help with rent will also be receiving help with rates.
Mr. Soley
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many recipients of housing benefit there were for Great Britain as a whole prior to the April 1988 changes for (a) home owners, (b) council tenants and (c)