§ Dr. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all specific type grants paid by his Department to local authorities, showing the size of each grant, which were hypothecated to any individual service or services or where local authorities had to bid for specific grants.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe following grants were paid by the Department in 1984–85:
In addition, payments are made where local authorities undertake work for the Department on an agency basis. The largest of these are for the accommodation of children who have been convicted of serious crimes (£1.5 million), and for the provision of milk to children attending day nurseries or playgroups (this is paid to local authorities and other organisations, total payments were £3 million).
- a. to reimburse local authorities' administration and benefit expenditure under the housing benefits scheme. For administration expenditure the grant is 60 per cent. of total reasonable costs for authorities in England (65 per cent. in Scotland, 70 per cent. in Wales). Payments to authorities amounted to £78 million. For benefit costs the grant is 100.6 per cent. of expenditure on certificated benefit and 90 per cent. of expenditure on standard benefit. Authorities received £4 billion. These sums are subject to adjustment on final audit;
- b. to cover the cost of approved projects to provide secure accommodation for children in care in England (£1 million).