§ 15. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Minister of Social Security what steps she is taking to ensure that old people have sufficient fuel in the winter months; and if she will take steps to enable retirement pensioners to acquire quantities of cheap coal from the accumulated stocks now available.
§ Mrs. HartSocial security benefit rates were increased at the beginning of the winter and the new rates, together with the long-term addition for supplementary pensioners, as well as the consideration given to special expenses, will ensure that fuel needs are met. I am sure that this is a better approach than seeking to give help in kind.
§ Mr. HamiltonIs my right hon. Friend aware that that is not the case, but that a lot of these old people simply cannot afford to buy sufficient fuel to keep themselves warm in the winter months? Does she not think it absured, and almost criminal, that we should have in the region of 30 million tons of coal on the ground, which costs 10s. a ton to put there, while old people are dying of cold?
§ Mrs. HartThe latter part of my hon. Friend's question is one more fitted for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power. I understand that there is some misunderstanding about the coal stocks in question. There is no significant surplus, I gather, of domestic fuel and the undistributed stocks are largely suitable only for power stations and industrial use. I am sure that my hon. Friend is aware of the very great difficulties, and indeed the risk of severe injustice, that can arise if one seeks to give help in kind rather than allowing rates to cover fuel needs. There are certainly arrangements for special fuel needs to be met by the supplementary benefits scheme.
§ Mr. FortescueWould the right hon. Lady accept that those old-age pensioners would much rather have coal suitable for industrial use than no coal at all?