I propose to take Questions Nos. 309, 310 and 312 together.
The income maintenance needs of asylum seekers are met for the most part by the health boards which administer the supplementary welfare allowance scheme on behalf of my Department. The scheme provides entitlement for any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs.
At present there are of 9,532 basic supplementary welfare allowance claims in payment in respect of 19,215 asylum seekers, of which 13,136 are adults and 6,079 are children. In addition to the basic claims there are currently approximately 5,100 rent supplements in payment to asylum seekers. There are 528 claims for unemployment payments currently in payment to asylum seekers. These claims are in respect of 1,542 people, of which 845 are adults and 697 are children.
A small number of asylum seekers are in receipt of other social welfare payments such as one-parent family payments, pensions, disability allowance and child benefit. Details of the numbers involved in these categories are not available.
Expenditure on asylum seekers under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme was £60.83 million in 2001. This includes £38.53 million in respect of basic payments, £19.37 million in respect of rent supplements and £2.93 million in respect of exceptional needs payments.
Details of expenditure for the years 1997 to 2001 are set out in the following tabular statement. The information requested by the Deputy is not available in relation to earlier years. Prior to 1997, asylum seekers were not identified separately from other supplementary welfare allowance applicants.
Expenditure on Asylum Seekers under
the SWA scheme 1997-2001
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
|
1997
|
1998
|
1999
|
2000
|
2001
|
Basics
|
|
15.50
|
22.80
|
32.00
|
38.53
|
Rent
|
|
5.50
|
10.70
|
16.00
|
19.37
|
ENPs
|
|
1.00
|
1.50
|
2.00
|
2.93
|
Total
|
12.00
|
22.00
|
35.00
|
50.00
|
60.83
|
A breakdown of the figure for 1997 is not available.