§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what contingency funds and arrangements exist for use in the event that a local office's social fund allocation for grants and loans appear unlikely to last the full financial year.
§ Mr. ScottAs the Secretary of State's directions and guidance to social fund officers in the "Social Fund Manual" make clear, social fund officers are expected to manage their local office budgets to meet needs of highest priority throughout the financial year and so as to remain within their budget for that year. There are some contingency arrangements at national level to meet, exceptionally, demands which were unforeseen and unexpected, for example, local disaster leading to extra demands for crisis loans.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give financial support to independent research to monitor the effects of the social fund on claimants, and to make the report of such a study publicly available.
§ Mr. ScottWe propose to commission independent research later in the year into the extent to which the social fund is meeting its objectives; the question of publication will be decided in due course.