Noel Ahern
Question:223 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amounts paid in 1996 in rent allowances and mortgage allowances; and the guidelines, if any, available to rent allowance applicants in the Dublin area. [7587/97]
Written Answers - Rent and Mortgage Allowances.
The figures requested by the Deputy for rent and mortgage interest supplements for 1996 are currently available only up to the end of November, but it is expected that the full expenditure figures for 1996 should be available in April 1997. I will provide the Deputy with these figures as soon as they become available.
The details on expenditure for rent and mortgage interest supplements for the months January to November 1996 are set out in the following tabular statement.
As part of the Government commitment to openness and transparency, there is a commitment on the part of the Department of Social Welfare to publish all the guidance given by the Department on the supplementary welfare allowance — SWA — scheme to health boards which administer the scheme.
The first step of this task was completed on 19 October 1995 when the guidelines on exceptional needs payments were made public for the first time ever.
In the course of the preparation for publication of the guidance on rent and mortgage supplements, it was considered appropriate to give a legislative basis to this guidance, where it was possible to do so. This has been done through two new Statutory Instruments Nos. 381 and 382 of 1995, copies of which can be made available to the Deputy on request.
Those aspects of the guidance on rent and mortgage supplements which did not lend themselves to incorporation in a statutory instrument will be published as soon as possible.
The current guidance on rent and mortgage supplements is therefore contained in the new Statutory Instrument No. 382 of 1995 and the explanatory documentation which was sent to the health boards with the Statutory Instrument. The current guidance builds on the previous guidance which was drawn up in 1988 and incorporates some of the good administratve practices which have been developed within health boards since then.
The main change from the 1988 guidance is that some direction which was formerly contained in administrative internal circulars is now covered by a statutory instrument.
An information leaflet on the SWA scheme, SW54, was published in November 1996, which includes information on rent and mortgage interest supplements. A contact address and telephone number is provided in the leaflet for anybody requiring additional information. The leaflet is available at any Social Welfare local office and also at local health centres.
In addition, information relating to the scheme is available on the Internet at www.welfare. ie and also on Aertel.
Year 1996 (January to November inclusive)
|
Health Board |
Rent Supplement |
Mortgage Interest Supplement |
Total |
|
£m |
£m |
£m |
|
|
Eastern |
31.23 |
5.19 |
36.42 |
|
Midland |
1.89 |
0.22 |
2.11 |
|
Mid-Western |
2.00 |
0.35 |
2.35 |
|
North-Eastern |
2.85 |
0.82 |
3.67 |
|
North-Western* |
1.62 |
0.20 |
1.82 |
|
South-Eastern |
3.34 |
0.54 |
3.88 |
|
Southern |
3.82 |
0.49 |
4.31 |
|
Western |
6.37 |
0.90 |
7.27 |
|
Total |
53.12 |
8.71 |
61.83 |
*Estimated.