HC Deb 03 May 2001 vol 367 c713W
Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual budget was of the National Asylum Support Service in the last financial year; and how much of this was(a) allocated to accommodation and support and (b) paid to (i) local authorities and (ii) private accommodation providers. [159735]

Mr. Charles Clarke

Estimated expenditure on asylum accommodation and support, including unaccompanied asylum seeking minors in 2000–01 was £751 million (estimated final outturn). This was made up ofGrant payment to local authorities for adult families and unaccompanied asylum seeking minors—£575 million Support payments by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS)—£115 million Payments to the Department of Social Security for supporting asylum seekers on benefit—£56 million Payments to the Scottish Executive for support to adults and families who applied before April 2000—£5 million.

The support payments by NASS include a total of £54 million paid directly to accommodation providers under contract for the provision of accommodation and related services to dispersed asylum seekers. £46 million of this was paid to private sector providers and £8 million to local authority regional consortiums.

The administration budget for NASS was £16 million. In addition £22 million was allocated for payments to the voluntary sector for work carried out to support the new dispersal arrangements and for other work relating to asylum seekers and refugees.

Note: All figures rounded to nearest £ million.

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