Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit – 6 December 1985

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit on 6th December 1985.

Mr. Greenway Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to the amount of housing benefit paid to students in each of the past 10 years; what the projected figure is for the current and coming years; how many students received such payments in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Major [pursuant to his reply, 27 November 1985, c. 603–604] I regret that the following information was omitted from my previous reply. Figures for the past 10 years are not available. However, estimates for the last academic year suggest that about £50 million may have been paid in housing benefit to some 200,000 students and the position is expected to be little changed this year.