To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund loan applications were refused by each of his Department's offices in the Doncaster area during the financial years (a) 1989–90 and (b) 1990–91 to date, due to perceived inability to repay; and what advice was recommended to those refused.

The table shows the number of applications recorded as refused on grounds of inability to repay.

	April 1989-March 1990	April 1990-December 1990
Doncaster East	31	33
Doncaster West	107	43
Wath on Dearne	31	35

All decision letters advise applicants of their right to ask for a review and refer to the citizens advice bureau or local law centre as a source of general advice. Money advice is normally offered to applicants found to be in financial difficulty, including such cases where an applicant is refused because of a perceived inability to repay.