HC Deb 19 January 1987 vol 108 cc432-5W
Mr. Wigley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table indicating the total number of persons in Wales who have received the special heating payment for the week 12–18 January, analysed by each of the following categories (a) persons over 65 years of age, (b) persons registered as chronically sick or disabled and (c) families with children under two years of age.

Mr. Leadbitter

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the number of persons in England who have received the special heating payment for 12 to 18 January in the age group categories and qualifications used by his Department; and if he will provide the same information for Cleveland county and Hartlepool.

Mr. Major

The information is not available. Local offices will be asked to make a return at the end of the winter period of the total number of payments and amounts paid.

Mr. Wigley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will reconsider the use of RAF Valley as the centre for measuring the local temperature for the Arfon borough area for the purposes of paying the special heating allowance; and if he will find a suitable location at Llanberis, Deiwiolen or Dinorwig for taking such readings.

Mr. Major

RAF Valley weather station was chosen in consultation with the Meteorological Office as being nearest to the main population centres in the area.

I understand that there are no weather stations which could be used in Llanberis, Deiwiolen or Dinorwig.

Mr. Wigley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what allowance is made in temperature readings taken at Trawsfynydd for determining the elegibility of persons living at the Dwyfor and Meirionnydd districts for special heating payments, to take account of the relatively higher temperatures experienced at Trawsfynydd arising from use of the lake as a coolant for the nuclear power station in that vicinity.

Mr. Major

No special adjustments are made in the temperatures recorded at the Trawsfynydd weather station for the purposes of the exceptionally cold weather scheme.

Dr. McDonald

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to remove the £500 capital rule for severe weather payments for pensioners, households with a child under two years of age or with a chronically sick or disabled person; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Major

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden) on 25 November 1986 at column191.

Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give (a) the minimum night temperature,

Minimum night temperatures (degrees Celsius) Week commencing 5 January 1987
Weather Station Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Aberdeen AP -0.2 0.8 1.3 -3.9 -7.8 -7.5 -5.6
Dumfries 4.6 1.3 -1.2 -6.7 -7.7 -3.5 -7.0
Edinburgh AP 1.1 1.6 -5.7 -7.6 -7.2 -6.2 -6.3
Eskdalemuir 1.8 0.6 -2.6 -9.8 -8.1 -4.1 -9.0
Fort William 2.0 0.8 -4.1 -7.8 -5.1 -3.7 -2.5
Glasgow AP 1.7 0.6 -5.5 -9.2 -5.0 -0.8 -4.3
Kinloss 0.7 0.9 0.9 -5.9 -7.2 -7.4 -6.0
Kirkwall 1.0 1.8 1.1 1.5 -0.8 0.3 -3.4
Lerwick 1.0 1.0 0.4 1.1 1.9 0.0 -3.1
Lwechars 0.6 1.8 -2.8 -6.8 -6.5 -4.1 -3.7
Machriphanish 2.8 4.1 -4.2 -2.4 -0.6 1.8 -2.0
Prestwick 2.9 2.1 -5.9 -6.2 -1.3 -0.2 -5.8
Stornaway 1.1 2.1 1.0 -0.7 2.0 -3.1 -2.7
Whithorn 5.7 1.8 -3.0 -4.6 1.0 -0.3 -3.0
Wick 0.3 0.2 0.4 -2.9 -2.8 0.3 -1.6
Aberporth 5.2 5.1 -0.8 -1.2 -0.5 1.6 -4.4
Brawdy 5.5 4.3 -2.5 -2.8 -1.4 2.0 -4.2
Bristol 6.6 5.4 1.8 -2.8 -1.4 1.1 -5.0
Chivenor 6.9 5.8 -2.3 -3.2 -2.8 2.3 -3.7
Cilfyndd 5.0 2.5 -6.5 -4.6 -4.1 0.0 -5.9
Culdrose 6.9 4.5 -1.4 1.4 3.8 1.4 -0.2
Exeter 6.5 3.7 -2.4 -5.0 -3.5 0.8 -5.0
Lyneham 4.2 2.5 -1.5 -5.4 -5.3 -0.9 -8.3
Mumbles 6.4 4.6 0.5 0.9 1.6 2.9 -3.0
Okehampton 4.2 2.1 -3.8 -3.8 -2.2 0.3 -7.1
Rhoose 5.6 2.7 -2.3 -4.0 -3.4 0.7 -5.4
St. Mawgan 6.7 5.7 -2.2 -1.6 2.7 2.0 -2.8
Trawsfyndd 3.4 2.3 -2.2 -3.5 -3.5 -0.5 -6.2
Valley 6.1 5.5 -1.7 -2.8 -1.3 1.2 -4.4
Yeovilton 4.9 4.1 -3.4 -6.4 -6.2 0.7 -6.1
Brize Norton 4.2 2.7 -2.5 -5.8 -5.4 -1.1 -6.5
Boscombe Down 4.4 2.0 -2.4 -5.9 -4.5 0.0 -6.5
Bournemouth AP 5.0 3.3 -3.6 -6.9 -6.4 0.5 -6.1
Mount Batten 7.5 5.4 0.0 -1.2 1.5 1.2 -3.0
Easthampstead 5.0 2.7 -4.8 -6.3 -6.0 -0.9 -7.0
Gatwick AP 5.2 3.1 -1.5 -5.1 -2.8 -1.2 -5.7
Herstmonceux 5.5 0.7 -0.5 -4.0 -3.5 -1.4 -6.9
Manston 3.5 3.5 1.4 0.2 -4.7 -1.9 -5.4
Southampton WC 6.1 3.5 -0.5 -2.5 -1.9 1.0 -5.1
Heathrow AP 4.9 3.1 -1.4 -3.5 -2.8 -0.5 -5.7
Stansted 3.3 2.3 -2.8 -3.6 -6.3 -2.0 -7.7
Coltishall 2.1 2.6 0.2 -1.8 -5.8 -4.3 -5.8
Marham 2.3 1.7 -2.6 -4.5 -5.0 -2.0 -9.8
Wyton 4.1 1.1 -3.0 -2.5 -3.9 -2.0 -8.0
Wattisham 2.5 1.2 -2.4 -2.5 -5.3 -2.2 -9.0
Honington 2.9 1.2 -2.5 -1.8 -3.8 -2.2 -8.7
Bedford RAF 3.2 2.1 -2.1 -3.7 -4.8 -1.9 -8.6
Birmingham AP 4.4 2.0 -2.2 -6.8 -5.2 -1.3 -7.4
Shawbury 4.7 2.5 -3.5 -8.6 -7.2 -0.5 -6.9
Watnall 3.3 2.1 -0.6 -3.8 -5.8 -1.7 -6.8
Coningsby 3.0 2.1 -1.6 -2.1 -5.8 -1.4 -6.4
Binbrook 1.9 1.4 -0.8 -2.7 -4.2 -1.7 -6.2
Boulmer 2.1 2.5 1.2 -3.4 -4.4 -3.8 -5.0
Leeming 3.6 2.2 1.0 -5.4 -5.2 -3.0 -5.4
Leeds WC 3.6 2.1 1.2 -3.4 -3.5 -1.9 -5.8
Tynemouth 3.0 2.6 0.3 -2.3 -3.4 -3.0 -4.0
Finningley 4.5 2.6 -0.1 -5.0 -5.5 -2.0 -6.1
Whitby CG 2.6 2.3 1.2 -2.0 -4.3 -4.8 -5.0
Aughton 5.5 2.4 -0.5 -2.6 -2.8 0.0 -5.8
Blackpool AP 6.1 3.7 -0.6 -6.6 -6.4 -0.1 -6.5

(b) the daily mean temperature, (c) the weekly mean temperature for each of the weather stations used for calculating severe weather payments for the week 5 January to 11 January inclusive.

Mr. Major

[pursuant to his replies, 15 and 16 January]: The following table gives information on the minimum night temperatures for the week 5 to 11 January inclusive, recorded at the 63 weather stations used to operate the new arrangements.

Weather station Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Eskmeals 6.7 3.2 -5.2 -4.2 -3.4 1.1 -5.6
Manchester AP 4.3 2.4 -1.0 -4.0 -2.5 0.4 -5.6
Carlisle 5.0 1.0 -3.5 -6.1 -5.4 -2.4 -6.5