§ Mr. Michael Forsythasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report those voluntary bodies and organisations assisted by his Department with grant aid in the last financial year for which figures are available, and the size of the grant so given.
§ Mr. WhitneyI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my predecessor to my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 25 July 1985 at columns765–71.
§ Mr. Michael Forsythasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will outline the steps which his Department takes to ensure that grant aid given to voluntary bodies and organisations, whether directly or indirectly, is not used for political purposes.
§ Mr. WhitneyGrants are made only for purposes which contribute to the achievement of the Department's policy objectives, and include grants towards the central administrative costs of national voluntary organisations who help to achieve those objectives.
Every grant is subject to a condition that the money must be spent for the purposes for which it was given and is monitored accordingly. Grants are not available to support party political activity.