Vol. 435 No. 8
3 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number and value of cheques issued by supplementary welfare officers to recipients in 1992 and comparison figures for 1982; the reason for the issue of these cheques; a breakdown for each health board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
In 1982 health boards paid £19.3 million on supplementary welfare allowances. An additional £11.8 million was paid by way of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in respect of fuel.
In 1992 health boards paid £72.7 million on supplementary welfare allowances. This figure does not include expenditure on the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance scheme which was introduced as a separate more widely-based scheme in 1990. Neither does it include expenditure on the national fuel scheme as the fuel schemes were amalgamated and rationalised in 1988.
A breakdown of 1982 and 1992 expenditure on supplementary welfare allowances on a health board basis follows:
|
Health Board |
1982 |
1992(*provisional) |
|
£ million |
£ million |
|
|
Eastern |
9.6 |
40.7 |
|
Midland |
0.7 |
2.6 |
|
Mid Western |
1.0 |
3.6 |
|
North Eastern |
1.4 |
2.9 |
|
North Western |
0.9 |
3.1 |
|
South Eastern |
2.0 |
4.7 |
|
Southern |
2.1 |
8.8 |
|
Western |
1.6 |
6.3 |
|
Total |
19.3 |
72.7 |
