§ Dr. HendronTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how the Department of Health and Social Services will apply the policy of targeting social needs to advice services; [22103]
(2) what is the Department of Health and Social Services strategy in terms of funding advice services in areas of greatest need. [22104]
§ Mr. MossFrom 1 April 1995, new funding arrangements have been introduced for independent advice centres in Northern Ireland. The new arrangements will ensure that resources are targeted on areas of greatest need by taking account of the extent of social need in each area on the basis of objective indicators of deprivation. Additional resources are being made available by the Department of Health and Social Services to raise the grant available to district councils for their support of advice services from £260,000 in 1994–95 to £377,000 in 1995–96.
§ Dr. HendronTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current level of Government
318Wforward into the following financial year running costs and capital underspends under the end of year flexibility schemes.
funding of advice services by (a) central Government and (b) local government. [22101]
§ Mr. MossThe level of funding of advice services in Northern Ireland in 1993–94, the latest year for which information is available, is as follows:
£ (a) central Government 1,466,190 (b) local government 281,731
§ Dr. HendronTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the amount of increased income and increased benefit take-up generated on behalf of clients by independent advice agencies in(a) Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland; and what impact this has had on the local economy in (a) Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland. [22106]
§ Dr. HendronTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the Department of Health and 319W Social Services' policy in terms of funding advice services in the areas of greatest need covering the making Belfast work area. [22105]
§ Mr. MossThe Department's policy in this area is the same as applies throughout Northern Ireland. That is to ensure that resources are targeted to take account of the extent of social need in each area on the basis of objective indicators of deprivation. Under the Making320W Belfast Work initiative, additional funding has been made available to support the work of advice services in the greater Belfast area. In 1994–95 this amounted to £160,000. The aim of this initiative is to strengthen and better target the efforts being made by the community, the private sector and the Government in addressing the economic, educational, social, health and environmental problems facing residents in the areas of greatest need in Belfast.