asked the Secretary of State for Social Services under what circumstances his Department pays rent for persons while they are in prison.

Provision for a prisoner's rent is made in any supplementary benefit payments to which his wife, or other person with whom he lives, may be entitled. The Supplementary Benefits Commission also uses its general discretionary powers to safeguard a prisoner's unoccupied home where the sentence is of short duration and there will be children returning to it; or if the prisoner, although living alone, cannot reasonably be expected to find alternative accommodation on discharge because of old age or ill health.