§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidelines exist for the degree of priority to be given to young people leaving homeless hostels, for social fund community care grant purposes; and what study he has made of the practice of his Department's Keighley, Halifax and Skipton offices in this regard.
§ Mr. ScottThe guidance issued by the Secretary of State referring to social fund payments is set out in the "Social Fund Manual", a copy of which is in the Library. The Department's district office managers also have responsibility to issue guidance that reflects local needs. A social fund officer is not bound by the guidance issued by the Secretary of State or the district manager. He may exercise his own judgment in the priority of a particular application if the circumstances dictate.
The Department's former offices at Keighley, Halifax and Skipton now form the Benefit Agency's Halifax district. No formal local study of social fund operations has taken place since the new Halifax district was formed in April 1991, but production and monitoring of local guidance is a continuous process for which the district office manager is responsible.