§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for review of social fund decisions were received by the office of the social fund inspectors during the periods(a) April 1988 to March 1989 and (b) April 1989 to March 1990 in respect of (i) community care grants, (ii) budgeting loans and (iii) crisis loans, relating to decisions made by each of the local offices in Leeds; and how many of these applications for social fund inspectors' review resulted in (1) decisions substituted by the social fund inspectors, (2) decisions referred back to the social fund office and (3) decisions confirmed by the social fund inspector.
§ Mr. ScottI am advised by the Social Fund Commissioner that the table represents the total number of applications for review received at the office of the social fund inspectors from the Department's offices in Leeds. The social fund inspectors have reached decisions in 27 cases for the first year and 79 cases for the second year.
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Budget loans Crisis loans Community care grants LEEDS EAST 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 Received 2 0 2 Confirmed 1 0 0 Referred back 1 0 2 Substituted 0 0 0 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 Received 8 0 7 Confirmed 1 0 0 Referred back 6 0 5 Substituted 0 0 0 LEEDS NORTH-WEST 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 Received 8 0 6 Confirmed 1 0 2 Referred Back 3 0 1 Substituted 1 0 1 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 Received 12 0 19 Confirmed 1 0 2 Referred Back 9 0 13 Substituted 0 0 2 LEEDS NORTH 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 Received 3 0 3 Confirmed 1 0 2 Referred Back 1 0 0 Substituted 0 0 0 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 Received 7 1 14 Confirmed 3 1 0 Referred Back 4 0 11 Substituted 0 0 0 LEEDS SOUTH 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 Received 2 1 3 Confirmed 1 0 1 Referred Back 0 0 1 Substituted 0 1 0 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 Received 5 3 5 Confirmed 0 1 4 Referred Back 3 1 1 Substituted 0 1 0 LEEDS WEST 11 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 Received 6 0 0 Confirmed 2 0 0 Referred Back 4 0 0 Substituted 0 0 0 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 Received 6 2 4 Confirmed 2 0 1 Referred Back 2 1 2 Substituted 0 1 1
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide for each of the local offices in the Leeds metropolitan district comparable information to that provided in his answer of 6 July to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn),Official Report, column 721, for the years (a) 1985–86, (b) 1986–87, (c) 1987–88, (d) 1988–89 and (e) 1989–90.
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§ Mr. ScottThe table shows the comparative expenditure for the Department's offices in Leeds as reckoned by the gross domestic product deflator.
Expenditure (£ thousands) Leeds South 1985–86 single payments 903 1986–87 single payments 689 1987–88 single payments 323 1988–89 social fund Gross 273 Net 102 1989–90 social fund Gross 277 Net 108 Leeds North 1985–86 single payments 2,984 1986–87 single payments 2,215 1987–88 single payments 854 1988–89 social fund Gross 768 Net 425 1989–90 social fund Gross 804 Net 371 Leeds North West 1985–86 single payments 725 1986–87 single payments 691 1987–88 single payments 522 1988–89 social fund Gross 340 Net 188 1989–90 social fund Gross 443 Net 212 Leeds East 1985–86 single payments 1,272 1986–87 single payments 1,088 1987–88 single payments 793 1988–89 social fund Gross 685 Net 322 1989–90 social fund Gross 674 Net 313 Leeds West 1985–86 single payments 1,076 1986–87 single payments 797 1987–88 single payments 453 1988–89 social fund Gross 337 Net 163 1989–90 social fund Gross 364 Net 156
§ Mr. DunnachieTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department has considered research conducted by the university of Lancaster for the Social Security Research Consortium on the effects of the social fund in responding to the needs of claimants in Strathclyde; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottYes. The research was based on a small localised sample that only reflects the first year of the scheme. The conclusions it reaches are unlikely to be typical of the current operation of the social fund.
We have commissioned major independent research which is being conducted by the university of York's social policy research unit, to examine whether the social fund is meeting its objectives.
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§ Mr. DunnachieTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what extra social fund resources have been available to each social security office in Glasgow since 1 July.
§ Mr ScottDetails of all additional allocations to local offices since 1 July 1990 were placed in the Library on 3 September. There have been no further allocations since 3 September.
§ Mr. DunnachieTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each social security office in Glasgow the numbers of social fund applications(a) submitted and (b) rejected on grounds of insufficient priority, since 1 July in each of the categories (i) grants, (ii) budget loans and (iii) crisis loans.
§ Mr. ScottThe information given in the table represents the number of applications and the number which were refused on grounds of insufficient priority, within each category, since 1 July 1990.
Note: The figures given relate to the period 1 July to 30 September 1990 only.
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Glasgow social security offices Budgeting loans Crisis loans Community care grants Anniesland Applications made 1,427 570 845 Applications rejected 54 0 23 Bridgeton Applications made 1,070 745 821 Applications rejected 72 2 31 City Applications made 1,030 488 787 Applications rejected 42 0 42 Craigton Applications made 1,150 739 761 Applications rejected 5 0 16 Cranstonhill Applications made 266 771 228 Applications rejected 89 0 0 Laurieston Applications made 1,124 686 623 Applications rejected 1 1 0 Maryhill Applications made 965 574 625 Applications rejected 30 0 10 Partick Applications made 682 433 360 Applications rejected 83 1 14 Provan Applications made 2,359 844 1,372 Applications rejected 132 1 55 Rutherglen Applications made 2,082 1,041 1,085 Applications rejected 160 1 41 Shettlestone Applications made 1,563 416 871 Applications rejected 34 0 79 South Side Applications made 1,692 921 953 Applications rejected 292 2 91 Springburn
Budgeting loans Crisis loans Community care grants Applications made 1,904 1,188 1,404 Applications rejected 101 3 103
§ Mr. DunnachieTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he is considering to establish a departmental or private agency for the pursuit and recovery of social fund loans and income support overpayments; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottWe have no plans for the establishment of a separate agency for the pursuit and recovery of social fund loans and income support overpayments. Such work will become a responsibility of the Benefits Agency after its inception in April 1991.