§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what the level of ceiling grant would have to be for the coming financial year for it to keep its value abreast of inflation including the making up of the shortfall in real terms resulting from this financial year's increase.
§ Mr. EggarThe grant ceiling is adjusted to take account of changes in the average costs actually incurred by sponsors in providing places in both sheltered workshops and the sheltered placement scheme. It is not the intention of the grant to match specific movements in inflation, and in recent years average costs have risen at less than the rate of inflation. However, the effects of inflation are reflected in the information on costs on which the calculations are based.