To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have (a) applied for and (b) been refused assistance through the Mortgage Rescue Scheme in (i) England and (ii) Milton Keynes in each month since the Scheme’s inception. (281681)

The mortgage rescue scheme has been operational across England since January 2009. As part of the monitoring arrangements for the scheme, headline data for January-April 2009, provided by local authorities operating the scheme and broken down by Government office region, are available on the Department’s website. The figures can be assessed using the following link:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/mortgagerescuestatistics

Figures reported by local authorities from January to April 2009 are provided in a table, which has been placed in the Library.

In the current economic conditions, we have acted rapidly to put in place help and support for households struggling with their mortgage at every stage: from free debt advice when problems start, to free support for cases that reach court. Advice is available to all households struggling with their mortgage, with targeted schemes for those in most need.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of people who will be assisted by the Homeowner Mortgage Support Scheme in (a) Peterborough and (b) England in the next 12 months. (281954)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend for Tamworth (Mr. Jenkins) on 24 June 2009, Official Report, column 691W.