§ Mr. Donnellyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost in each month since the inception of the subsidy to areas of special need because of the influx of immigrant population; and what estimate he has made of the increases in numbers of immigrants in each area of special need following the adoption of this policy.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesAs regards the first part of the Question, payment of grants under the Local Government Grants (Social Need) Act, 1969, will not begin until later this year; the presence of immigrants is not the only factor, though it is an important one, in determining the existence of areas of special social need for the purposes of the Act. As regards the second part of the Question, I have not attempted to make any such estimate.