To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Department provides funding for senior citizens forums. (73399)

The Department does not directly fund senior citizens forums.

Senior citizens forums are responsible for securing their own funding and are financed mainly through membership fees, grants (usually from local government or organisations such as Age Concern) and lottery funding.

However, we do indirectly provide support to the development of senior citizens forums through our partnership in, and financing of, Better Government for Older People (BGOP).

We have no plans to offer a government grant to Shrewsbury senior citizens forum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will meet the leaders of Shrewsbury Senior Citizens Forum to discuss their priorities for senior citizens. (74334)

I will be happy to consider a meeting if the hon. Gentleman will write detailing the areas of DWP policy the forum members wish to discuss.