Written question asked by Caroline Spelman (Conservative) on Monday, 21 February 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 6 April 2005. It was answered by Chris Pond (Labour) on Wednesday, 6 April 2005 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Dept for Work and Pensions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the payments and grants made by his Department and its predecessors to each local authority in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland to reimburse the costs of supporting asylum seekers in each year from 1996-97 until the transfer of responsibility to the Home Office.

Answer: Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the payments and grants made by his Department and its predecessors to each local authority in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland to reimburse the costs of supporting asylum seekers in each year from 1996-97 until the transfer of responsibility to the Home Office. [217876] Mr. Pond: No payments or grants were made to local authorities specifically in respect of asylum seekers, including those subsidies for housing benefit or council tax benefit. Although asylum seekers may have been eligible for housing benefit and/or council tax benefit, estimates of the proportion of subsidy payments which relate to asylum seekers for each local authority are unavailable.

Secondary information