§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the initiatives launched by his Department since May 1997 under which specific grants are allocated, indicating in each case and for each financial year the funding provided by central Government. [109314]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 10 February 2000]: The Department launched the Social Services Modernisation Fund in November 1998. It makes new funding available to local authorities through special and specific grants. Details of the Fund are shown in the table.
£ million Social Services Modernising Fund 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 Promoting independence: Partnership grant 253.0 216.0 178.0 647.0 Promoting independence: Prevention grant 20.0 30.0 50.0 100.0 Children's services grant1 75.0 120.0 180.0 375.0 Mental health grant2 46.4 59.4 79.4 185.2 Training support grant2,3 3.5 7.0 9.0 21.0 Total Modernisation Fund 397.9 432.4 496.4 1,328.2 1 £5 million was also made available to authorities in 1998–99 to help them prepare for the requirements of the Quality Protects programme. 2 This represents the extra money in these areas and is in addition to the existing grant levels. 3 The residential child care award element of this new initiative was launched in 1998–99 with £2 million being made available. In addition, the carers' special grant was announced in February 1999 and it makes available to local authorities £20 million in 1999–2000, £50 million in 2000–01 and £70 million in 2001–02. Extra funding of £3 million in 1999–2000, £5 million in 2000–01 and £12.5 million in 2001–02 has also been made available through the drugs and alcohol grant to help local authorities develop new approaches in commissioning drug services.
As part of the Government-wide initiative to promote the welfare of families with children under five, the Department is funding 30 Home Start schemes in areas of social deprivation, providing £0.333 million in 1998–99 and £0.366 million in 1999–2000.
Two award schemes were launched in 1999 to recognise excellence in social care generally and in the provision of support for carers specifically. In 1999–2000 the Social Care Awards' scheme has been allocated £150,000 and £80,000 has been allocated for the Caring for Carers Awards scheme.
The Child Migrants Fund with an allocation of £250,000 in 1999–2000, £450,000 in 2000–01 and £300,000 in 2001–02 was created to assist former child migrants with the costs of visiting relatives in the United Kingdom. In addition a central index of historical data and sources of existing information is being created with funding of £128,000 in 1999–2000 and £90,000 in 2000–01 and 2001–02.