§ 39. Sir George Youngasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether her Department will provide financial assistance to battered wives.
§ Mr. MeacherSupplementary benefit is available individually to separated wives if they are not in full time work and their resources are insufficient to meet their needs and the needs of dependent children living with them.
The Department has provided temporary financial assistance to Chiswick Women's Aid and recently agreed to make a grant to the National Women's Aid Federation. In addition considerable sums have been allotted to various refuges for battered wives under the urban aid programme and help is also available both to local authority and voluntary projects under the 1974 Housing Act. Local authorities have also provided help in various ways.