§ 11. Mr. David MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his best estimate of the numbers of pensioners in Scotland living in houses which are (a) affected by dampness and (b) classified as difficult to heat.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonInformation is available from the Scottish house condition survey only for houses affected by dampness. An estimated 70,000 dwellings affected by dampness had heads of household of pensionable age.
§ Mr. MarshallI thank the Minister for visiting my constituency during the recess and for seeing for himself the dreadful conditions in which some people have to live. Does he agree that the figure he has just announced to the House is an affront to his Government? Does he further agree that the evil imposition of VAT on heating bills will force thousands of pensioners and poor people to choose 823 between eating and heating? How many people does he estimate will die sooner rather than later as a result of his Government's policies?
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe hon. Gentleman is naturally expressing a view before the Secretary of State for Social Security takes all relevant factors into account when he makes a statement about benefits being increased for next April, before the higher bills arrive. The details of that uprating will be announced as soon as possible after the Budget statement in November. The hon. Gentleman has made a significant point and his hon. Friend the Member for Hamilton (Mr. Robertson) also referred to it. As well as the automatic increase in pensions by the retail prices index rate, which will include and reflect the increase in the cost of domestic fuel and power, such pensioners are also likely to receive housing benefit and/or council tax benefit. Our plans for extra help through such earnings-related benefits will assist them further. We sincerely hope that the dire circumstances that the hon. Gentleman envisages will not happen.
Mr. Robert HughesInstead of relying on the Minister's verbiage, would not it be much better to look at the facts? Do not the facts tell him that there is a great problem in Scottish housing with dampness and with condensation because houses were not built to proper heating standards? On every occasion, we are told that the problems are exacerbated by people's failure to afford proper heating. Why does not the Minister understand the damage that he is doing? Why does not he insist that the Government drop the VAT, and that they put more money into home insulation and into improving standards, rather than repeating the nonsense that everyone who is on a low income will be magically protected because he says that they will be?
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonI should make it clear that the house condition survey also records that some three quarters of houses in Scotland have central heating, that more than half have satisfactory insulation of tanks and pipes and that more than three quarters have satisfactory loft insulation. As for the uprating of benefits, the Department of Social Security benefits—including the cold weather payment—for the elderly and those on low incomes are regularly reviewed, taking all relevant factors into account. The DSS will take all these matters into account before it makes a full statement about reviewing the benefits in due course at the end of the month.