asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she intends to transfer the function of assessing means for unemployment assistance to community welfare officers; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Unemployment Assistance.
14.
The arrangements for assessment of means are set out in the Social Welfare Acts. Applications for unemployment assistance are investigated by social welfare officers who are appointed by the Minister under the Social Welfare Acts. Decisions as to entitlement to assistance including the amount of means to be assessed are determined by deciding officers and appeals officers taking account of the report of the investigating officer.
Community welfare officers are officers of health boards and are concerned with the administration of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The determination of entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance in any case is a matter for the chief executive officer of the health board and he may delegate his functions in this regard. The health board has no statutory function however in relation to the unemployment assistance scheme.
Any change in the arrangements outlined would involve new legislation and there are no plans for such a change in present circumstances. However the whole question of the role and functions of the schemes will be examined further in the light of the report of the Commission on Social Welfare.