§ 24. Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the current take-up of financial assistance for repatriation of immigrants to the New Commonwealth and Pakistan provided by his Department.
§ Mr. Newton:My reply to my hon. Friend on 30 July 1982—[Vol. 28, c. 855.]—gave the number of applications approved in 1981 for assistance with voluntary repatriation expenses under the supplementary benefits scheme where the claimant wished to travel to Pakistan, or to a New Commonwealth country. In addition there were 148 other applications during the year for travel to these countries, of which 93 were rejected, 23 were not proceeded with and 32 still under consideration at the end of the year.
The help that DHSS can give with voluntary repatriation expenses is not confined to people from certain countries, but is available on the same basis to anyone who meets the qualifying conditions. These conditions are published in the supplementary benefits handbook. The number of claimants interested in repatriation who might qualify for a payment if they applied is not known.