§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will estimate how many people in the Newport, East constituency are likely to be affected by the proposal to abolish central heating additions for new claimants as from 5 August;
(2) how many people in the Newport, East constituency receive central heating additions at both the higher and lower rate; and if he will estimate the effect his recent review will have on these benefits.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe information requested is not available.
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§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the cost savings in respect of pensioners' central heating supplementary benefit payments as a result of the decision to make no further such awards from 5 August.
§ Mr. WhitneyWe estimate the savings from the change in entitlement to central heating additions for pensioners to be about half a million pounds in 1985–86 rising to about £3 million in 1987–88.