Ex-drug Users (Hansard, 14 January 1992)

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidelines he has issued to the Benefits Agency regarding the priority to be given to rehabilitating ex-drug users in the allocation of community care grants to the homeless who are allocated unfurnished accommodation.

§ Mr. Scott
The Secretary of State issues general guidance to social fund officers in the form of the social fund officer's guide, which replaced the social fund manual in December 1991. A copy of this guidance is available in the Library. Area social fund officers (the managers of district DSS offices) also issue guidance which complements that in the social fund officer's guide taking account of local factors.
551W

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that sufficient resources are allocated to the Benefits Agency to ensure that rehabilitated drug users who have been treated at a rehabilitation unit are not excluded from community care grants for the homeless who are offered unfurnished accommodation.

§ Mr. Scott
The circumstances and priority of each individual application to the fund are carefully considered by social fund officers. No group of people who satisfy the basic community care grant conditions are excluded from the consideration of an award.
Since April 1991 we have allocated additional funds of over £43 million to the discretionary social fund budget. This flexible response shows the Government's commitment to ensuring that the social fund will meet the highest priority needs wherever and whenever they occur.

§ Mr. Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will issue guidelines to the Benefits Agency to ensure that no changes are made to the priority given to rehabilitating ex-drug offenders in the allocation of community care grants for the homeless when they are offered unfurnished accommodation without prior consultation with the relevant county drug advisory committee and other appropriate agencies.

§ Mr. Scott
We have already issued guidance to social fund officers on the continuing need for constructive and close liaison with Social Services Departments and other interested bodies. The guidance is contained in the social fund officer's guide, a copy of which is available in the Library.

Family practitioner committee name 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990

Cleveland 4,144,965 4,366,605 4,471,993 4,575,148 4,704,310

Cumbria 3,124,046 3,239,886 3,331,027 3,416,102 3,537,853

Durham 4,454,260 4,632,051 4,746,262 4,825,238 4,950,368

Northumberland 1,866,466 1,938,669 1,993,478 2,053,546 2,110,955

Gateshead 1,650,998 1,702,112 1,723,024 1,755,997 1,775,934

Newcastle upon Tyne 2,341,646 2,435,168 2,484,027 2,523,352 2,559,600

North Tynosidc 1,673,447 1,739,095 1,793,380 1,821,089 1,841,808

South Tyncsidc 1,279,588 1,334,917 1,381,145 1,416,477 1,465,888

Sundcrland 2,608,302 2,702,284 2,815,888 2,861,047 2,911,109

Northern 23,143,718 24,090,787 24,740,224 25,247,996 25,857,825

Humbersidc 6,059,425 6,312,869 6,563,681 6,684,722 6,799,647

North Yorkshire 3,754,594 3,911,370 4,070,883 4,206,866 4,356,739

Bradford 3,757,392 3,915,035 4,136,673 4,218,947 4,306,996

Caldcrdale 1,504,550 1,555,321 1,589,495 1,610,379 1,684,172

Kirklecs 2,564,626 2,659,268 2,757,984 2,811,905 2,877,835

Leeds 5,493,001 5,643,799 5,844,592 5,966,984 6,046,207

Wakeficld 2,456,374 2,557,010 2,659,749 2,719,922 2,805,009

Yorkshire 25,589,962 26,554,672 27,623,057 28,219,725 28,876,605

Derbyshire 5,783,182 6,009,061 6,244,914 6,406,607 6,560,412

Leicestershire 5,583,361 5,824,715 6,017,427 6,085,089 6,207,181

Lincolnshire 3,065,055 3,258,471 3,480,062 3,597,810 3,727,628

Nottinghamshire 6,408,451 6,688,956 6,974,726 7,151,658 7,381,564

Barnsley 1,949,879 2,036,776 2,127,791 2,158,541 2,182,234

Doncaster 2,412,430 2,543,866 2,671,283 2,730,239 2,802,967

Rotherham 1,843,577 1,939,676 1,993,761 2,052,225 2,094,630

Sheffield 4,351,066 4,511,854 4,670,973 4,750,335 4,854,146

Trent 31,397,001 32,813,375 34,180,937 34,932,504 35,810,762

Cambridgeshire 3,045,686 3,219,613 3,336,487 3,408,342 3,583,858

Norfolk 3,511,032 3,687,163 3,870,614 3,983,078 4,178,908

Suffolk 3,116,392 3,255,325 3,377,443 3,419,706 3,553,306

Family practitioner committee name	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Cleveland	4,144,965	4,366,605	4,471,993	4,575,148	4,704,310
Cumbria	3,124,046	3,239,886	3,331,027	3,416,102	3,537,853
Durham	4,454,260	4,632,051	4,746,262	4,825,238	4,950,368
Northumberland	1,866,466	1,938,669	1,993,478	2,053,546	2,110,955
Gateshead	1,650,998	1,702,112	1,723,024	1,755,997	1,775,934
Newcastle upon Tyne	2,341,646	2,435,168	2,484,027	2,523,352	2,559,600
North Tynosidc	1,673,447	1,739,095	1,793,380	1,821,089	1,841,808
South Tyncsidc	1,279,588	1,334,917	1,381,145	1,416,477	1,465,888
Sundcrland	2,608,302	2,702,284	2,815,888	2,861,047	2,911,109
Northern	23,143,718	24,090,787	24,740,224	25,247,996	25,857,825
Humbersidc	6,059,425	6,312,869	6,563,681	6,684,722	6,799,647
North Yorkshire	3,754,594	3,911,370	4,070,883	4,206,866	4,356,739
Bradford	3,757,392	3,915,035	4,136,673	4,218,947	4,306,996
Caldcrdale	1,504,550	1,555,321	1,589,495	1,610,379	1,684,172
Kirklecs	2,564,626	2,659,268	2,757,984	2,811,905	2,877,835
Leeds	5,493,001	5,643,799	5,844,592	5,966,984	6,046,207
Wakeficld	2,456,374	2,557,010	2,659,749	2,719,922	2,805,009
Yorkshire	25,589,962	26,554,672	27,623,057	28,219,725	28,876,605
Derbyshire	5,783,182	6,009,061	6,244,914	6,406,607	6,560,412
Leicestershire	5,583,361	5,824,715	6,017,427	6,085,089	6,207,181
Lincolnshire	3,065,055	3,258,471	3,480,062	3,597,810	3,727,628
Nottinghamshire	6,408,451	6,688,956	6,974,726	7,151,658	7,381,564
Barnsley	1,949,879	2,036,776	2,127,791	2,158,541	2,182,234
Doncaster	2,412,430	2,543,866	2,671,283	2,730,239	2,802,967
Rotherham	1,843,577	1,939,676	1,993,761	2,052,225	2,094,630
Sheffield	4,351,066	4,511,854	4,670,973	4,750,335	4,854,146
Trent	31,397,001	32,813,375	34,180,937	34,932,504	35,810,762
Cambridgeshire	3,045,686	3,219,613	3,336,487	3,408,342	3,583,858
Norfolk	3,511,032	3,687,163	3,870,614	3,983,078	4,178,908
Suffolk	3,116,392	3,255,325	3,377,443	3,419,706	3,553,306