I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 184 together.
My Department has, since 1996, operated the scheme of community support for older people, the purpose of which is to provide funding for initiatives to improve the security and social support of vulnerable older people. This funding is provided by way of grant aid to voluntary groups and organisations who have undertaken to identify those elderly people in need of assistance under the scheme.
Since I came to office in mid-1997 I have allocated a total of £13 million to this scheme which allowed some 53,000 individuals to receive assistance under the scheme and this funding has been made available through some 3,000 voluntary organisations. An allocation of £5 million has been made available to the scheme again this year. As applications are currently bring processed by the regional offices of my Department it is not possible to indicate at this stage how many organisations will participate and how many individuals will benefit from the scheme again this year.
The regional offices of my Department assess applications received under the scheme to determine if they can be funded and, if so, what level of funding should be allocated in each case. When undertaking this assessment my Department takes into consideration the extent to which each application meets the criteria for the scheme and to what extent the most vulnerable older people in our community will be assisted. This assessment also includes examination of accounts submitted by these organisations in respect of funding previously received under the scheme. In addition my Department, when allocating funding, must take account of the overall demands to be met in relation to the available resources.
All applications received under the scheme are currently being assessed by my Department's regional offices in the manner outlined above and the groups involved will be advised in due course of the outcome of their applications.