§ 46. Mr. Strangasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received on behalf of sheltered workshops about the effect of the proposed abolition of social security single payments; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonAt present, where someone is awarded a supplementary benefit single payment for household goods or furniture, and the item is known to be available at a reasonable price from a local sheltered workshop, staff are instructed to explain this to the claimant and to offer to arrange for its supply with the claimant's agreement and on his behalf. The White Paper "Reform of Social Security" proposes that such payments should be replaced by loans or grants from the new social fund from April 1988. We have received a number of representations from hon. Members about the possible effect of this proposal on the level of orders from sheltered workshops.
We value the contribution made by sheltered workshops, and indeed our proposals for changes this year to single payments for the first time cover, in regulations, items available from such workshops. As far as the social fund is concerned, we are giving sympathetic consideration to the possibility of continuing the present arrangements in the case of grants and loans for items available from sheltered workshops.