§ Mr. Ancramasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received any representations about persons unable since the coming into operation of the new supplementary benefit regulations to claim in respect of travel to appear in court; and what estimates his Department has made of the numbers so affected and of the numbers requiring to travel south of the border to appear in English courts.
§ Mr. Allan StewartRepresentations on this matter have been made recently by the Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux. There are no provisions for the court to reimburse the costs of travel for litigants appearing in civil cases. The exclusion of single payments under the supplementary benefit scheme to claimants who incur expenses in connection with a personal appearance in court is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. It is not possible to estimate the number of individuals who may have been affected by this policy.