§ Mr. Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for making available special grant aid to local authorities wishing to improve heating in old people's accommodation equipped solely with an open grate.
§ Sir K. JosephI have no such proposals but expenditure by local authorities on personal social services including improving heating in private dwellings occupied by elderly people is taken into account in determining rate support grant.
Exchequer assistance for improving heating in council housing and dwellings provided by housing associations is a matter for my right hon. and learned
270Wfits of other persons subject to the National Health Service superannuation scheme, and notwithstanding that the relevant regulations have only recently been made, the new method of assessing pensions of general practitioners will apply retrospectively to those who have retired on or since 25th March 1972, which is the operative date of the Superannuation Act 1972, under which the regulations are made. It is fundamental that changes are restricted to those in post at the operative date and are not extended to those who had then already retired.