§ Mr. Irvingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what specific guidance will be given to staff in his Department's local offices in imposing length of stay restrictions on (a) residents of hospitals, homes or supporting hostels for mentally ill, mentally handicapped, physically handicapped, alcoholic and drug misusers who are discharged into local board and lodging accommodation but who need long-term supportive care from their previous residence, (b) prisoners discharged into board and lodging accommodation who for rehabilitation reasons do not want to return to the area in which their crime was committed; and (c) current residents of board and lodging accommodation who have been established for a considerable period of time in an area that is not their area of origin, for the purposes of his Department.
§ Mr. WhitneyA copy of the recently issued guidance and procedural instructions of the new supplementary benefit board and lodging changes has been placed in the Library. The restriction on the period of payment as a boarder does not apply to those who have entered accommodation as part of a rehabilitation or resettlement programme under the guidance of certain caring bodies. Similarly, people who have lived at an address for six months whilst in work or while getting supplementary benefit but not required to be available for work are exempt from the restriction.