§ 17. Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of applications for community care grants were refused in 1988–89, 1989–90 and the first half of 1990–91.
§ The Minister for Social Security and Disabled People (Mr. Nicholas Scott)The proportion of community care grants refused in 1988–89 was 48 per cent., in 1989–90 it was 54 per cent. and in the period April to August 1990 it was 55 per cent.
§ Mrs. MahonI am sure that the House will agree that those are disgusting statistics. Is the Minister aware that those shameful statistics represent people in need who, under the old system, would have been entitled to something? What preparations will be made and what money will be put into the system to meet the needs of the people who will be caught up in the imminent recession?
§ Mr. ScottOnly 4.4 per cent. of applications for community care grants were turned down because they were of insufficient priority—the substantial majority were turned down because they did not meet the basic eligibility test for the community care grant system. The statistics that I read out should be seen against the background of an increase of 66 per cent. for applications for community care grants and an increase of 50 per cent. in awards.
§ Mr. DickensIs not it a fact that the grants have to be examined very closely indeed because the Government are the custodians of taxpayers' money, and taxpayers do not have a bottomless pit of money? Therefore, the Government's policy of directing resources and targeting them closely on where they are needed is right and preserves the taxpayers' rights.
§ Mr. ScottOf course we must be careful and prudent with the taxpayers' money. We also have to be careful to meet need where it exists. Some 500,000 community care grants have been given and effectively targeted since the introduction of the scheme.