§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what amount of money has been spent on community care grants in those offices covering Nottingham, North constituency; and what instructions have been issued by his Department to reduce the categories of people eligible for these grants.
§ Mr. ScottThe local offices of the Department covering the Nottingham, North constituency are Nottingham Castle gate, Nottingham David lane and Nottingham Shakespeare street.
Information on the numbers of applications for social fund loans and grants processed and awarded, listed by local office, including information on budget allocations and expenditure for 1988–89 and 1989–90 to date, may be obtained from the details held in the Library.
There have been no departmental instructions issued to reduce the categories of people eligible for community care grants. Local office managers are required to provide guidance to social fund officers on the level of priorities which should generally be met. Awards of community care grants from the social fund are decided by independent social fund officers based upon the individual circumstances of the applicant and the priority of their needs.