HC Deb 24 July 2002 vol 389 cc1582-3W
Mr. Caton

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans the Government have to amend the formula for determining the social fund budget. [72086]

Malcolm Wicks

There is no formula for determining the discretionary Social Fund budget. The size of the national social fund budget is reviewed annually, taking account of forecast loan recoveries for the year ahead. The national budgets for Community Care Grants, loans and the contingency reserve are also reviewed and determined annually.

The discretionary Social Fund budget for 2002–03 is £627 million and includes increases over the previous year of £1.4 million for the loans budget and an above-inflation cash boost of £5 million for the Community Care Grant budget. Since 1997, the Community Care Grant budget has gone up by £11 million, an increase of over 11 per cent.

During 2001–02 a record 2.3 million people were helped by the discretionary Social Fund.

Mr. Love

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total expenditure was in(a) grants and (b) loans from the Social Fund in each year from 1990; what the projected expenditure for the next three years is; and if he will make a statement. [73007]

Malcolm Wicks

The discretionary Social Fund budget for 2002–03 is £627 million and includes increases over the previous year of £1.4 million for the loans budget and an above-inflation cash boost of £5 million for the Community Care Grant budget. Since 1997, the Community Care Grant budget has gone up by £11 million, an increase of over 11 per cent.

Expenditure figures are given in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's Annual Reports on the Social Fund, copies of which are in the Library.

The national budgets for Community Care Grants, loans and the contingency reserve are reviewed and determined annually taking account of net expenditure and forecast loan recoveries for the year ahead. The planned net expenditure for each year up to and including 2005–06 is £138.2 million.