Vol. 491 No. 3
346 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the length of time the maximum recoupment of £4,000 to local authorities has been at this level under the regulations governing the disabled person's grant scheme; and if he will review this figure in line with the building costs over the period. [11952/98]
The maximum recoupment which my Department provides to housing authorities in respect of each disabled person's grant paid by them was last increased to £4,000 in respect of works commenced on or after 1 March 1993. I am, in the context of the Government's An Action Programme for the Millennium, examining possible options to improve the range of measures currently available to assist low income households in securing necessary improvement works to their housing, including the disabled persons grants scheme. Pending completion of this examination and decisions arising from it, I do not propose to comment on the possible outcome.
347 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his Department treats grants to local authorities under the disabled persons grant scheme to local authority housing in the same way as grants given to private housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11953/98]
Under the regulations governing the disabled person's grant scheme, my Department recoups to the local authority half of each grant paid by the authority subject to a maximum recoupment of £4,000 in each case whether the house is local authority or privately owned.
