§ Mr. Reidasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is his policy that staff of social work departments in Scotland, and not Department of Health and Social Security staff, should make emergency payments to families whose supplementary benefit Giro has not arrived timeously or who are otherwise rendered destitute.
§ Mr. OrmeUnder arrangements agreed with the Scottish social work departments, social workers will normally refer anyone urgently needing help to a volunteer DHSS officer whom they can contact by telephone outside normal office hours. It has also been agreed it may be necessary sometimes for social workers to deal with a person seeking help and make a payment from social work funds. There has been further agreement on the criteria for refunding such payments.