§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the administrative and other costs of local authorities providing support for asylum seekers 668W by way of vouchers; and what assessment he has made of the average cost per voucher in relation to the nominal value of the voucher. [81472]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienAlthough we have had discussions with some local authorities about the voucher schemes they are operating, these schemes have all been individually devised and are usually based around a branch of one of the major supermarket chains. They bear no comparison, therefore, with the commercially administered nationwide scheme which we have proposed and it would, therefore, have been an unmerited use of resources to have conducted detailed research into the administration and costs of these schemes. The Home Office voucher scheme will be subject to competitive tender, which will help to bear down on costs.