Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 351: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way savings will be valued under the provision of supplementary welfare in 2007; and if the Estimates have included changes in this provision. [39680/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme (SWA) is administered by some 700 Community Welfare Officers and 59 Superintendent Community Welfare Officers and supporting staff, within the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive.

Over 110,000 people receive an SWA payment each week. €733.6m has been provided for the scheme in 2006 including provision for administration costs of €51.4m. €720.1m has been provided for the scheme in 2007 including provision for administration costs of €55.5m. This represents a decrease of 2% in estimated expenditure over 2006.

The decrease of 2% is due mainly to an emerging saving of €48m on the 2006 estimate, on which the 2007 estimate is based, and to the transfer of €24m to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for the Rental Accommodation Scheme, partially offset by provision for some increases in 2007 under other headings.

Expenditure on all elements of the scheme is expected to increase in 2007 over 2006 except for expenditure on basic weekly payments which is expected to be down €35m, and certain supplements which are expected to show a decrease by €900,000.

The main reason for the expected decrease in expenditure on basic weekly payments in 2007 is improved processing times for primary payments such as jobseeker's allowance in respect of which interim SWA is paid pending the finalisation of the primary claim.

The 2007 abridged estimates made no provision for changes in eligibility, entitlements or rates of payment for any of the schemes administered by my Department.