§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Social Fund budget loans, and to what value, have been made in each year since 1997; and how many and what value of these were to cover delays in payments of social security benefits and tax credits. [186781]
§ Mr. PondSocial Fund Loans, including Budgeting Loans, should not be awarded to compensate for delay in payment of benefits; where there is delay in payment, interim benefit payments can be considered.
Budgeting Loan awards and gross expenditure since 1997 Initial awards Total gross expenditure (£ million)
1997–98 916,000 311 1998–99 935,000 344 1999–2000 1,017,000 396 2000–01 1,145,000 435 2001–02 1,240,000 469 2002–03 1,251,000 462 2003–04 1,250,000 484 Notes: 1. Initial awards do not include awards made after review. 2. Gross expenditure does include awards made on review. 3. Numbers of initial awards are rounded to the nearest thousand and total gross expenditure to the nearest million. Source: Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Annual reports on the Social Fund.