§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish any estimates they have received from local authorities as to the level of financial help that those authorities will require as a result of the recent changes in social security benefits for asylum seekers.
Earl FerrersOfficials in the Departments of the Environment and of Health have invited local authority associations to provide estimates of the likely costs that local authorities, in England, will face. None has yet been received.