Severe Weather Payments (Hansard, 10 February 1986)

§ Mr. Tony Benn (Chesterfield)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Several Hon. Members
rose—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order.

§ Mr. Benn
My point of order does not arise out of Question Time. If other hon. Members have points of order that arise out of Question Time, I could put mine in a moment.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. We shall move on to statutory instruments, but I shall take the point of order first.

§ Mr. Benn
The point I wish to raise arises from the exceptionally severe weather regulations made by the Secretary of State for Social Services. The weather conditions in Derbyshire have been severe. Under the regulations, the Secretary of State has given discretion to local managers of DHSS offices to decide whether to bring the regulations into effect to allow heating grants to be made to people on supplementary benefit.
My point of order concerns a matter of substance to thousands of people facing severe weather conditions who are likely to be denied their benefits. I cannot raise this matter in the House, because the Secretary of State has made regulations that put responsibility on local managers of DHSS offices. I cannot bring pressure through the House on the managers of local offices because they are not directly responsible to the House. This is a matter of great concern to a large number of people. I should be grateful to you, Mr. Speaker, if you would advise me on how the matter can be raised.

§ Mr. Speaker
The right hon. Member is a great expert in these matters. It is not a matter for the Chair to advise him how to raise matters in the House. He has already done that.