§ Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many meetings Ministers have held or had arranged with representatives of the National Association of Young People in Care in the past two years; and what was the subject of such meetings;
(2) if he will make a statement on the support his Department has been making available to the National Association of Young People in Care over the last five years;
(3) when he expects to make a decision on the current application for core funding grant aid in respect of the National Association of Young Children in Care.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyI will be meeting representatives of the National Association of Young Children in Care (NAYPIC) later this week, when current issues in residential care and the future funding of the association will be amongst the topics to be discussed. No other ministerial meetings have been held with NAYPIC during the past two years although the association has been in regular contact with officials.
A grant of £82,000 was awarded to NAYPIC for the period 1 January 1987–31 March 1988, and one of £64,000 per annum for the two years 1988–89 and 1989–90. Because 558W of difficulties within the association, payment of grant was suspended at the end of December 1988. While the grant was reinstated in August 1989 no further payments were made because of renewed problems within the association.
A final decision about NAYPIC's current application for funding will be made shortly.