§ Mr. Patrick Jenkinasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the large geographical variations in local authority assistance with fuel debts under Section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1963, if he will issue guidance to local authorities to reduce such variations.
§ Mr. MoyleNo. In existing guidance we have already made plain to local authorities the importance we place on developing preventive work in the home to reduce the number of children coming into care, which is the purpose of Section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1963. Within this general guidance it is for local authorities to determine their own priorities as between one form of assistance and another in the light of individual and local circumstances.