§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for the Social Services under what circumstances his Department pays for debts in respect of mortgage interest; on how many occasions in the last 12 months for which figures are available this has occurred; and what has been the cost to public funds.
§ Mr. OrmeSupplementary benefit is awarded very exceptionally to meet arrears, for example, where there is no other way of preventing homelessness resulting from debts which accrued while a mortgagor was eligible for but not receiving benefit. Information about numbers is not collected.