§ Lord HYLTONasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they interpret the duty placed on the Supplementary Benefits Commission to provide Reestablishment and Reception Centres for single homeless persons under Section 34 of the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966.
§ Lord HYLTONasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many reestablishment centres and how many reception centres are provided by the Supplementary Benefits Commission under Schedule 4 of 487WA the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966, and how many residential places are available in each category, how many voluntary organisations are currently grantaided by the Commission, and how many residential places they provide.
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLThe Supplementary Benefits Commission have no power to provide accommodation for single homeless people as such. Section 34 of the Supplementary Benefit Act enables the Commission to provide centres for the reestablishment of persons who, through lack of regular occupation, need help to fit them for entry or return to employment and requires them to maintain reception centres for the provision of temporary board and lodging for persons without a settled way of living so that they may be influenced to lead a more settled life. The Commission may also contribute to the funds of voluntary organisations which maintain centres for purposes similar to those of reestablishment and reception centres.
The Commission exercise these functions on behalf of the Secretary of State for Social Services and subject to her directions by providing 15 reestablishment centres and 23 reception centres. Three of the reestablishment centres run residential courses, with 51 places; the remainder run day courses only. There are 2,705 beds in reception centres. The Commission currently make grants to 24 voluntary organisations providing 473 beds.