§ Mr. Mikardoasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many homeless single people were transferred between reception centres during the last 12 months; and between which centres these transfers took place.
§ Mr. Moyle1,290; a small number of transfers took place between most centres, but the bulk were from Camberwell and Camden to other centres in London for resettlement purposes, and from Newbury to other provincial centres to ease the pressure on accommodation.
§ Mr. Arthur Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will uprate the allowance for personal expenses available to individuals in homeless family accommodation after meeting charges for the accommodation.
§ Mr. OrmeParagraph 15 of Schedule 1 to the Supplementary Benefits Act 1976 leaves to the Supplementary Benefits Commission the task of determining the requirements of a supplementary benefit claimant paying an inclusive charge for board and lodging. The Commission's practice is to calculate the requirements by aggregating the board and lodging charge—or such part of it as is reasonable—with an allowance for personal expenses. I assume it is this allowance for personal expenses which my hon. Friend has in mind, although the practice is not limited to people in homeless family accommodation.
These allowances have traditionally been uprated by the Commission at the same time as other social security and supplementary benefit rates, and they will be increased again next November.