§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to his Department over the last full year for which figures are available of paying travel and hotel bills for the wives and families of inmates in Her Majesty's prisons to visit them; and how this compares with figures for the previous four years.
§ Mr. HurdPayments to claimants under this scheme are made by the Department of Health and Social Security, which is then reimbursed by the Home Office. Final figures for the financial year 1983–84 are not yet available. Payments made by the Home Office to the Department of Health and Social Security for the financial years 1978–79 to 1982–83 were as follows:
£ 1978–79 305,127 1979–80 314,315 1980–81 402,395 1981–82 318,234 1982–83 617,025 As a result of a delay in billing in 1981–82, repayment of about £130,000 relating to expenditure incurred by the Department of Health and Social Security in that financial year was carried over to 1982–83.