§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will conduct a survey into the take-up of heating additions by (a) pensioners and (b) others.
§ Mr. WhitneyNo. I refer the hon. Member however to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Renfrew, West and Inverclyde (Mrs. McCurley) on 25 February at column75 in which I indicated the measures taken by the Government to promote take-up. In December 1983 about 60 per cent. of supplementary benefit claimants were getting heating additions compared with about 53 per cent. in December 1978 and we estimate that over 90 per cent. of supplementary pensioners now get heating additions compared with about 71 per cent. in December 1978. We expect to spend some £140 million more in real terms on heating additions this financial year than was spent in 1978–79.