Mr. Scott: Help from the social fund may be available to people affected by the recent flooding principally in the form of Discretionary Crisis loans.

Mr. Scott: Discretionary Crisis loans are already available to invalidity benefit recipients where there is a serious risk to the health and safety of the applicant or their family and where such a loan is the only means of dealing with the crisis.

I call on the Government to reverse their decision on the Discretionary Crisis fund.