§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether independent research has been commissioned into the extent to which the social fund is meeting its objectives.
Mr. Peter LoydYes. We have commissioned the social policy research unit at the university of York to carry out this research.
§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the total numbers and amounts of applications for the period 5 April 1988 to 31 March 1989, inclusive, in respect of(a) social fund community care grants, (b) social fund crisis loans and (c) social fund budgeting loans.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 17 April 1989]: The information requested is set out as follows and is provisional:
Community care grants Budgeting loans Crisis loans Applications processed 296,149 867,571 468,232 Financial value (£ million) 79.029 267.437 26.899