§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set out in the Official Report the amount of money paid out in school clothing grants by regional councils since they assumed this responsibility in its entirety; and whether he has made any extra provision for this in the rate grant settlement.
§ Mr. Allan StewartRegional councils, as education authorities, do not have entire responsibility in this respect. The normal rates of supplementary benefit contain an element for clothing; and the Department of Health and Social Security continues to make exceptional needs payments for school clothing under the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payment) Regulations 1980. Education588W authorities made payments of £734,000 for school clothing in 1981–82, the latest financial year for which figures are available. School clothing grants are taken into account but not separately identified in arriving at relevant expenditure for rate support grant purposes.