§ Mr. MaudeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibilities which his Department had prior to the Comprehensive Spending Review are to be(a) discontinued by his Department, (b) transferred to another department, (c) transferred to an executive agency and (d) added to his Department over the period 1998–99 to 2001–02. [68404]
§ Mr. StrawFrom April 1999, my Department is transferring to the Department for Education and Employment and to the Welsh Office responsibility for funding grants under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for educational projects to help members of ethnic minorities to overcome disadvantage due to differences of language or culture. This represents 97 per cent. of the total value of grants paid under section 11. My Department is currently considering what arrangements might best be made for funding such work in areas other than education.
My Department took on responsibility for freedom of information from the Cabinet Office on 31 July 1998.
From April 1999, my Department will manage the new asylum seekers' budget which will meet the costs of support for adults and families seeking asylum. These costs are currently met from budgets managed by the Department of Social Security and the Department of Health.