§ 62. Mr. Home Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the cost to local authorities of payments made to claimants who have not received benefits because of industrial action in his Department.
§ Mr. PortilloWe do not have estimates of costs incurred by local authorities in making payments under section 1 of the Child Care Act 1980 or in Scotland section 12 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. Such payments are the responsibility of the local authority. However, where local authorities have made interim payments of benefit during the current industrial action, the cost of the payments and reasonable administrative expenses will be reimbursed, so there should be no significant cost to the local authority.