HC Deb 25 February 1985 vol 74 cc69-70W
Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many extra payments have been made due to cold weather each week during the current year by his Department's local offices in Walsall road and Soho road, Birmingham; and what has been the average payment and the average fuel bill on which the payment has been made.

Mr. Whitney

Local social security offices have been asked in paragraph 7451 of the S Manual (a copy of which is in the Library) to keep a record of the number of payments made under Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulation 26 and of the amounts paid. The total number of payments made so far at the local offices in Walsall Road, Perry Barr, and Soho Road, Handsworth is 322. The average payment made so far this winter in these two offices is £2£07. Since the majority of claimants who pay for fuel quarterly will not yet have had a bill for a period including the weeks in which the trigger points set by the chief adjudication officer (set out in appendix 19 of the S Manual) were reached, and since the payment made depends on the average temperature over the period of the claimant's bill, it is too early to say how many payments will be made in total by these two offices this winer or what the average payment will be. The remaining information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Winnick

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it has been decided to allow the single fuel payment for severe weather to be paid for the week ended 24 February; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Whitney

I understand that the chief adjudication officer has not yet received the necessary information from the Meteorological Office. I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money has been spent in the current winter in adverising the availability of (a) weekly heating additions and (b) exceptionally severe weather allowances.

Mr. Whitney

No money has been spent on press or television advertising. In order to supplement the impact of Ministerial statements and national and local press releases, £8,000 has been spent on leaflet printing and posters were already in place in local DHSS offices for use whenever appropriate.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate how many supplementary benefit claimants who were eligible for exceptionally severe weather payments in 1982, 1983 and 1984 claimed the benefit.

Mr. Whitney

I refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to him on 18 January at column261.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit claimants he estimates now are eligible for exceptionally severe weather payments as a result of the announcements he has made under the degree days formula in January and February.

Mr. Whitney

It is too early to say how many claimants will be found to be eligible for payments under Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulation 26. Claimants are asked to claim the payments to which they are entitled when they receive their fuel bills: the majority of those who pay for fuel quarterly will not yet have had a bill for a period including a week in which the 'trigger point" set by the chief adjudication officer for the area was reached.