HL Deb 14 February 2000 vol 609 c133WA
Lord Dholakia

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, when homeless prisoners are given the higher rate of discharge grant, prison governors are required to fund this out of their prison's previously agreed budget or whether this expenditure is funded separately from a central source. [HL914]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bassam. of Brighton)

Discharge grant is paid to help prisoners meet their immediate needs on release. Whether the grant is paid at the standard rate for those with a settled home to return to, or at the higher rate to those who have no settled home, the funds are taken from each prison governor's agreed annual budget. Governors do not have recourse to a separate central source of funding for this purpose.