§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the formula which determined the allocation of social fund grants and loans to local offices, what was the expenditure on single payments for each office in the period used for assessment under the formula; what that figure is as a percentage of the national total; and what the social fund loan and grants allocations to each office for 1988–89 were as a percentage of the national total.
§ Mr. ScottA note explaining the basis of the allocation of the social fund budgets for 1988–89 has been in the Library since December. For information on single payment expenditure for the 32-week period ending 7 April 1987, I refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 18 February at column701. Social fund allocations were announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) on 4 November 1987 at columns 774–81.