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Home Office

Answer

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2005, Official Report, column 739W, on asylum seekers, if he will list the special and specific grants given to each local authority in Wales to cover the costs of asylum seekers' support in each year since 1996-97; and when information on payments in Wales for (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04 will be available. [211168] Mr. Browne: The Asylum Support (Interim Provisions) Regulations 1999, as amended provide local authorities with the power to support adults and families whose applications for asylum were made prior to the revised system of support administered by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) coming into force in their area. Under this grant local authorities can claim their direct costs of providing support-- accommodation and financial assistance--to asylum seekers. The grant is subject to unit cost limits and is calculated on an individual local authority's audited expenditure in 2001-02 uplifted for inflation. The Home Office also pays grant to local authorities exercising their statutory duties under the Children Act 1989 in respect of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASCs). Under this grant, which is subject to unit cost limits, local authorities can claim their direct costs of providing support to UASCs. Local authorities who are unable to live within their grant limit can seek additional payments under the arrangements for special payments. No local authorities in Wales have made special circumstances requests since 1999-2000 suggesting that they are able to meet the costs of providing support to asylum seekers from their grant. It is expected that the grant payments to Wales for 2003-04 and 2004-05 will be published at the end of March 2005. These payments will, however be subject to audit.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

211168; 430 c1518W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Asylum Costs Housing Grants Local government Wales

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk