§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list which of his Department's benefit offices in Greater Manchester have underspent their budgets so far this year for(a) emergency payments and (b) emergency loans; and which have overspent;
(2) which benefit offices in Greater Manchester consider that being forced out of the family home by domestic 171W violence is sufficiently high a priority to warrant the payment of a grant to provide furniture to establish a new home; and which have set criteria which restrict any help in such circumstances to a loan.
§ Mr. ScottThe administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He wrote to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.