Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Oral Answers to Questions

Mike Kane Excerpts
Monday 7th April 2014

(10 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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The Secretary of State was asked—
Mike Kane Portrait Mike Kane (Wythenshawe and Sale East) (Lab)
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1. What representations he has received from local authorities on the local administration of the crisis loan and community care grant elements of the discretionary social fund.

Brandon Lewis Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis)
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Crisis loans and community care grants were abolished in the Welfare Reform Act 2012 because they were failing to help those most in need. The Department for Work and Pensions has passed the funding to councils to help provide assistance for vulnerable people in their area, and they have held numerous discussions about this.

Mike Kane Portrait Mike Kane
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Manchester city council has stated that the removal of local welfare allowance funding by the Government in 2015-16 will disproportionately impact on the most deprived. It will also break the new burdens principle for local authorities. What advice would the Minister give to struggling families who rely on this vital lifeline?

Brandon Lewis Portrait Brandon Lewis
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Some local authorities are in fact underspending this year. Centrepoint’s research, which is often referred to, shows that many authorities are spending less than half their allocations. The research does not say that anyone has suffered at any time as a result of the current situation.