§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what statistical information he has as to the different reasons given by social fund officers for negative decisions to claimants on(a) budgeting loans and (b) partial awards;
(2) what statistical information he has as to the different reasons given by social fund officers to claimants for nil award decisions for (a) community care grants and (b) partial awards.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 17 March 1989]: The reasons for refusing social fund applications during the period 1–28 February 1989 (the latest month for which information is available) are as follows:
736W
Northern Ireland housing executive—Voluntary sales scheme Properties sold for housing executive district since October 1979 District 1October 1979 to March 1981 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 April 1988 to December 1988 Total Belfast region Belfast 1 114 209 128 128 186 218 100 113 95 1,291 2 118 121 23 76 93 73 68 67 34 673 3 17 55 92 43 57 47 44 60 54 469 4 121 144 59 26 69 32 57 75 42 625 5 52 82 53 61 78 105 60 51 17 559 6 47 94 40 52 86 48 51 32 22 472 7 51 94 40 50 95 43 77 65 53 568 REGIONAL TOTAL 520 799 435 436 664 566 457 463 317 4,657 North-East region Antrim 37 267 188 228 285 195 188 116 108 1,612 Ballymena 51 243 173 158 171 178 113 54 113 1,254 Carrickfergus 64 343 170 192 193 132 161 104 65 1,424 Larne 112 203 160 172 147 87 91 81 no 1,163 Newtownabbey 1 34 248 149 139 166 125 97 82 77 1,117 Newtownabbey 2 20 178 165 236 222 152 121 87 85 1,266 Ballymoney 47 129 100 75 54 77 60 39 59 640 Ballycastle 12 61 58 29 49 29 34 28 22 322 REGIONAL TOTAL 377 1,672 1,163 1,229 1,287 975 865 591 639 8,798 North-West region Londonderry 1 14 40 37 50 49 64 32 37 25 348 Londonderry 2 24 175 157 130 108 47 35 44 43 763 Londonderry 3 25 52 32 60 69 46 27 29 21 361 Limavady 71 147 65 104 74 104 52 60 31 708 Strabane 22 80 111 110 86 69 60 78 70 686 Coleraine 30 141 70 101 55 93 43 40 55 628
Reasons for refusal as percentage of total applications processed Budgeting loans (per cent.) Community care grants (per cent.) Savings over £500 sufficient to meet cost 0.01 0.22 Not in receipt of income support 2.68 n/a Not in receipt of income support for 26 weeks 10.23 n/a Not in receipt of income support at present and unlikely to qualify n/a 2.97 Excluded items 1.10 0.97 Excluded persons 0.14 3.30 Amount less than £30, not travelling expenses 0.41 0.20 Adjusted amount less than £30, not travelling expenses 0.22 0.05 Total debt of £1,000 0.01 n/a Previous application and social fund officer decision for this item 2.01 2.03 Inability to repay 2.02 n/a Help available from another source 0.22 0.22 Insufficient priority 4.69 2.58 Suitable alternative available 0.04 0.18 Loan refused—community care grant awarded 2.12 n/a Others 2.14 16.30 n/a = Not appropriate.