HC Deb 15 December 1988 vol 143 cc696-7W
Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest information on how much of the social fund has so far been allocated for loans at Ayr's Department of Social Security office; and how much has been allocated as a national average.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

As at 30 October 1988 45 per cent. of the social fund loans allocation to Ayr local office had been spent. At the same date national expenditure was 43 per cent. of the total loans budget allocation.

Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any information as to whether there will be an underspend at local offices of his Department of the social fund allocation.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Future levels of expenditure by local offices will be dependent on the numbers, types and financial values of applications made, their relative priorities, the amounts available in local office budgets and the exercise of discretion by social fund officers on individual cases. It is not possible at this stage to predict with certainty the extent to which individual local offices might underspend their budget allocations.

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