§ 2.48 p.m.
§ The Earl of LAUDERDALEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what was their total expenditure in money of the day on help to private individuals in meeting their fuel bills in each year since 1974.
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, rather than read out a table of figures, I will, with permission, place them in the Official Report. The estimated annual equivalent of the heating additions to supplementary benefit paid in November 1974 was £20 million. From November this year the Government will be spending over £200 million a year on help to poor consumers with their fuel bills.
§ Following are the figures referred to:
| Estimated annual equivalent of heating additions to supplementary benefit in payment in November-December; and, from November 1979, of the fuel enhancement to family income supplement | Benefit expenditure on the Electricity Discount Scheme for the Winters 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79 | |
| £ million | £ million | |
| 1974 | 20 | — |
| 1975 | 35 | — |
| 1976 | 61 | 11.1 |
| 1977 | 83 | 21.6 |
| 1978 | 93 | 34 |
| 1979 | 111* | — |
| 1980(projected) | 200 | — |
| *The 1979 figure is known to be a low estimate of annual expenditure because, when the statistics were collected in November implementation of the age-related heating additions introduced in the autumn package of help with fuel bills had only just begun. |
§ The Earl of LAUDERDALEMy Lords, in thanking my noble friend, may I ask whether he would not agree that this tenfold increase, achieved within a year of the new Administration taking office, is greatly to the Government's credit?
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, I am grateful for the supportive remarks of my noble friend.
§ Lord STRABOLGIMy Lords, will the noble Lord confirm that the agreed code of practice over disconnections will be sympathetically adhered to, as people with lower incomes are finding it increasingly difficult to pay their fuel bills with the escalating costs since the present Government came into Office?
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEI have no doubt about it, my Lords.
§ Lord KILMANYMy Lords, arising from that reply, may I ask my noble friend what further help is being considered in this direction?
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, a study is in progress on the scope for further initiatives to help the elderly and disabled to save fuel by 826 insulating and draught-proofing their homes and by making more efficient use of heating appliances.
§ Lord GRIDLEYMy Lords, with regard to his last answer, may I ask my noble friend about help for the disabled? Can he tell your Lordships specifically whether that help will apply to those who have suffered disability in war, or as a result of war, and whether it will apply to a different category of disabled people who have suffered during peace?
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEYes, my Lords. It would certainly apply to all people who were disabled in wartime. The fuel package directs particular help to the disabled. The merging of the middle and upper rates of supplementary benefit heating addition, at the considerably enhanced new, higher rate of £3.40, will benefit many disabled people who previously qualified for the middle rate, to the tune of an extra £78 per year each. Also, under a fail-safe arrangement which was announced on 27th March, supplementary benefit claimants or their dependants who are in receipt of attendance allowance, constant attendance allowance or mobility allowance, will automatically be entitled to the new higher rate heating addition.
§ Lord AVEBURYMy Lords, will the noble Lord agree that if higher standards of insulation were to be prescribed for new dwellings, and more resources were to be made available to local authorities and individuals to improve the standards of insulation in existing dwellings, a considerable fraction of the £200 million, which he mentioned as going to the poorer consumers, could be saved? Also, what cost benefit analyses have been undertaken by the Government, so as to reach the conclusion that the present levels of insulation prescribed, and the present levels of grants to local authorities and individuals, are the optimum?
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, I regret that I cannot answer those detailed questions, but a study is in progress on this matter.
§ The Earl of LAUDERDALEMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that his answers will give great satisfaction, and will provide information about a dark 827 corner which is open to propaganda by the other side? Is he aware that this surely shows that we are spending not only more, but more wisely than our predecessors?
§ Baroness PHILLIPSMy Lords, would the noble Lord not agree—
Several noble Lords: Order!
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, I really was not going to say anything very much, except to thank my noble friend.
§ Baroness PHILLIPSMy Lords, I should not like to be in any way ungracious enough to spoil those thanks. I merely want to say that, surely, the increased money being paid out is because the cost of the gas and the electricity has gone up. So, in fact, no extra money has been paid out.
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, the noble Baroness will realise that the scheme that we are carrying out now will operate for all forms of fuel and not purely for electricity, as did the last Administration's scheme.