§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether any special consideration will be given to retirement pensioners and the unemployed following the rise in gas prices in the current year.
§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take new initiatives to assist those on low pay or fixed incomes, including pensioners, to meet the latest round of increased energy charges.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI have been asked to reply.
The Government's policy aims to give extra help with fuel costs to those in greatest need—to certain householders on supplementary benefit, particularly pensioners, and to the low paid in receipt of family income supplement. At last November's uprating, the value of the supplementary benefit heating addition was fully price protected. We shall be taking into account this year's fuel price rises in calculating the level of the coming November's uprating. Pay-as-you-go schemes are also available from the fuel boards to help consumers to budget for the payment of their bills.
§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish in comprehensive form the, results of the study announced by Her Majesty's Government in March 1980 into ways of helping the old and disabled to save fuel.
§ Mr. RossiI have been asked to reply.
As a result of the study. the Government have given financial support to the neighbourhood energy action programme of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations to encourage local insulation projects with special reference to the elderly and disabled; we have also extended the enhanced 90 per cent. homes insulation scheme grant to the severely disabled on low incomes and made single payments available for hot water cylinder jackets to certain groups, particularly the elderly and disabled, entitled to supplementary benefit. We have also increased total spending on fuel assistance to poor consumers to more than £250 million a year, much of which goes to the elderly and disabled in receipt of supplementary benefit.