HC Deb 24 October 1988 vol 139 cc56-7W
Mr. Wray

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people in(a) Scotland, (b) Strathclyde, (c) Greater Glasgow, and (d) Glasgow, Provan, were successful in their applications to the social fund, by 30 September;

(2) how many people applied for social fund grants in (a) Scotland, (b) Strathclyde, (c) Greater Glasgow and (d) Glasgow, Provan up to 30 September;

(3) what proportion of the social fund allocated to Glasgow, Provan for 1988–89 was spent by 30 September.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Of the local offices of the Department in Scotland, those contained within the Strathclyde region, excluding those within the area of Greater Glasgow, are Airdrie, Ayr, Bellshill, Campbeltown, Clydebank, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Dumbarton, East Kilbride, Greenock, Hamilton, Irvine, Johnstone, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Oban, Paisley and Port Glasgow but their boundaries are not conterminous.

The offices contained within the Strathclyde region which are also in the Greater Glasgow area are Glasgow Anniesland, Glasgow Bridgeton, Glasgow City, Glasgow Craigton, Glasgow Cranstonhill, Glasgow Laurieston, Glasgow Maryhill, Glasgow Parkhead, Glasgow Partick, Glasgow Provan, Glasgow Rutherglen, Glasgow South Side, and Glasgow Springburn.

Information on numbers of applications for social fund loans and grants received, processed and awarded, listed by local office, including information on budget allocations and expenditure, is available in the Library.

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications have been made to date for social fund(a) community care grants, (b) budgeting loans, and (c) crisis loans; and how many have been refused in each category.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The information for the period 11 April to 31 August 1988 (the latest for which figures are available) is as follows:

Decisions made Applications refused
Community Care Grants 73,430 40,059
Budgeting Loans 281,968 124,793
Crisis Loans 167,979 24,904

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases have been taken to review by (a) a social fund officer and (b) a social fund inspector in the categories of (a) community care grants, (b) budgeting loans and (c) crisis loans; and what proportion of such reviews were (1) refused and (2) decided in the applicant's favour.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The information is given in the tables.

Reviews by Social Fund Inspectors: 11 April 1988–30 September 1988
Total No. taken to review Decisions substituted by SFI (as percentage of total) Referred back to SFO for determination (as percentage of total) Confirmed by SFI (as percentage of total)
Community Care Grants 133 2 36 62
Budgeting Loans 437 — 38 62
Crisis Loans 51 6 37 57
Total 621 1 38 62

Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many reviews of social fund decisions are waiting determination by(a) social fund officers and (b) social fund inspectors.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The number of applications for review by social fund officers awaiting determination on 31 August 1988 was 3,523. The number of applications for review by social fund inspectors on 30 September 1988 was 263.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will establish an internal inquiry into the reasons for social fund payments at his Department's Halifax office running at 50 per cent. of the budgeted level; and if he will issue guidelines to encourage higher levels of payment.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

We have no plans to initiate an inquiry into levels of social fund payments at the Department's Halifax office, or to issue further guidance. At present loans expenditure is close to the amounts profiled and the office has undertaken a number of initiatives to promote awareness of community care grants.

Mr. McLeish

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide figures on community care grants from the social fund in Scotland for(a) the number of applications for funds to cover the cost of hospital visits, (b) the number of the above applications that have been approved and (c) the total sum of money paid out to successful applicants at (i) each area office and (ii) in Scotland as a whole.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

I regret that the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Back to