To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his answer of 23 January, Official Report, column 98, if he will give the number of (a) pensioners, (b) economically inactive single adults and (c) economically inactive single adults with dependants, in receipt of income support in respect of mortgage interest in each standard region and nationally, in each year since 1980.
The information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The tables relate to 1989 and 1990, the latest years for which figures are readily available:
| Pensioners | Single without dependants | Single with dependants | |
| 1989 | |||
| North Eastern | 9,000 | 14,000 | 9,000 |
| London North | 13,000 | 17,000 | 7,000 |
| South Western | 7,000 | 7,000 | 7,000 |
| Wales | 6,000 | 8,000 | 5,000 |
| Midlands | 12,000 | 15,000 | 9,000 |
| North Western | 11,000 | 15,000 | 12,000 |
| Scotland | 4,000 | 6,000 | 3,000 |
| London South | 11,000 | 13,000 | 8,000 |
| Total | 73,000 | 95,000 | 59,000 |
| Pensioners | Single without dependants | Single with dependants | |
| 1990 | |||
| North Eastern | 11,000 | 14,000 | 9,000 |
| London North | 15,000 | 19,000 | 12,000 |
| South Western | 8,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 |
| Wales | 9,000 | 9,000 | 4,000 |
| Midlands | 14,000 | 16,000 | 11,000 |
| North Western | 11,000 | 15,000 | 11,000 |
| Scotland | 4,000 | 6,000 | 3,000 |
| London South | 14,000 | 18,000 | 13,000 |
| Total | 86,000 | 107,000 | 68,000 |
Notes:
1. The figures for pensioners are for all pensioners whether or not they have part time earnings.
2. The figures for single adults do not include part-time earnings.
3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand; for this reason the sum of individual entries does not always equal the total given.
Source:
Annual Statistical Enquiries 1989 and 1990.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total value of payments in respect of income support for mortgage interest in each standard region and nationally in 1989 and 1990.
The information requested is in the table:
| Region | Mortgage interest 1989 | Mortgage interest 1990 |
| North Eastern | 42 | 54 |
| London North | 78 | 129 |
| South Western | 33 | 52 |
| Wales | 22 | 31 |
| Midlands | 45 | 69 |
| North Western | 50 | 65 |
| Scotland | 19 | 25 |
| London South | 63 | 129 |
| Great Britain | 353 | 554 |
Notes:
1. Figures represent amounts added in the income support assessment, not actual amounts paid.
2. The figures are in pounds rounded to millions.
3. Due to rounding the sum of the individual amounts for each region does not equal the total for Great Britain for 1989.
Source: Annual Statistical Enquiries 1989 and 1990.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are estimated to be the administration costs of paying mortgage interest payments for home owners on income support directly to the mortgage lenders.
The estimated costs connected with the Social Security (Mortgage Interest Payments) Bill are set out in the Explanatory and Financial Memorandum to the Bill which was introduced on 23 January.