§ Mr. BendallTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any additional funds are to be made available for social fund payments in Northern Ireland in the current financial year.
§ Mr. HanleyI am glad to be able to announce that the budgets of all district offices are being increased by a total of £1 million for loans and £0.4 million for community care grants. Details of the revised budgets are being placed in the Library. These increases are additional to any extra expenditure which may be incurred on automatic cold weather payments under the greatly improved arrangements which will apply during the approaching winter.