§ The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. Andrew Smith)My annual report on the social fund for 2002–03 (Cm 5807) was published today and has been laid before Parliament.
The report records that total gross expenditure, excluding winter fuel payments, in 2002–03 was £819.4 million. This included more than 245,000 non-payable grants and more than 2,315,000 interest free loans together worth £654.4 million, and funeral and cold weather payments totalling £54.5 million. In addition 232,000 sure start maternity grants worth £110.5 million were made, and 8 million households benefited from a winter fuel payment at a cost of around £1.7 billion.
The Social Fund Commissioner's report has also been published today and copies placed in the Library.