§ Mr. Roger KingTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to review the format of the social fund manual.
§ Mr. HanleyA revised social fund manual has just been published. The new manual consists of a series of smaller, easier to use guides and booklets which distinguish clearly between directions-guidance to social fund officers and procedural-administrative instructions. The opportunity has been taken to amend social fund direction 16 in line with Government policy that, as a general rule, students should not be funded through social security benefits. During term-time or vacations full-time students will be eligible for crisis loans in future only to alleviate the consequences of a disaster. Copies of the revised social fund manual have been placed in the Library.