HC Deb 28 October 1993 vol 230 c791W
Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have made applications to the social fund at each of the social security offices in South Down from 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1993; of these how many were successful; and what financial amounts were made payable.

Mr. Ancram

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from A. Wylie to Mr. Eddie McGrady, dated 27 October 1993: As Chief Executive of the Social Security Agency I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the number of people who made applications to the Social Fund at each of the social security offices in South Down from 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1993, the numbers who were successful and the amounts involved. The information is not held precisely in the form requested but I have set out the available data in the attached table. As an individual can make more than one application to the Social Fund the figures shown refer to the total number of applications received. As regards details for each Social Security Office in South Down, these can only be supplied for the period 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1991. From April 1991 the Social Fund has been managed on a District basis and I am therefore providing information from that date in respect of Mourne District, comprising Newry, Banbridge, Newcastle and Kilkeel and for Belfast South and Down District which covers Knockbreda, Shaftesbury Square, Downpatrick and Ballynahinch. You may be interested to know that information about the number of applications processed, the number of awards and the amount paid, is available in the Library under Social Fund Data. The figures are updated on a monthly basis. I hope you will find this information helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report and copies will be placed in the Library.