asked Her Majesty's Government:When an asylum seeker supported under the voucher scheme tenders a voucher whose face value exceeds that of the goods he is purchasing, whether the change will be returned to the asylum seeker; and, if not, by what legal authority it will be detained. [HL1540]

As a matter of policy the Government have determined that change should not be given where the face value of a voucher exceeds that of goods purchased. It is therefore a condition of the legal agreements between retailers and Sodexho Pass, the contractor running the voucher scheme, that the retailer shall not give change. This condition is also specified in the contract between Sodexho Pass and the Home Office and the collateral agreements between national retailers and the Home Office. The condition is enforeable in law.