§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if Millennium Award grants given to benefit claimants will affect the levels of benefit which they receive. [34121]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyGuidance issued by the Millennium Commission to organisations wishing to take part in the Award scheme (known as Award Partners) makes it clear that they are expected to take account of the implications an award might have for individuals, including eligibility for benefits, and to set out how this will be addressed so that individuals receiving benefits are not penalised. Prospective Partners normally discuss their proposals with this Department, as the potential effect of an award in an individual case would depend on a number of factors. These include the type of benefit concerned, the purpose of the award, whether any cash payment was to be made to the individual and, if so, whether it was to be paid as a one-off grant or a regular series of payments.