80661 (2024). Hon Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for Social Development and Employment

80661 (2024). Hon Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How many distinct individuals, if any, have accessed (Establishment Grant) since October 2023; what is the total budget expenditure, if anything, on this initiative since October 2023, listed against the original budget allocation?

Hon Louise Upston: The Establishment Grant does not have its own Budget appropriation but sits under a wider appropriation called Orphan’s Benefit and Unsupported Child’s Benefit. Therefore, the Ministry of Social Development is unable to provide a comparison of the actual spend against Budget. I am advised by the Ministry of Social Development that information about the number distinct clients who have received the Establishment Grant is not centrally recorded and is held on individual client files. Providing this information would require the Ministry to undertake a substantial data collation, processing and verification exercise that would divert a significant number of staff from their core duties. In accordance with Speaker's Ruling 210/6, I consider that the time, and hence the expense, of answering the Member's question is not in the public interest.