HC Deb 14 May 1987 vol 116 cc356-7W
Dame Judith Hart

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in which weeks of the current year the trigger temperature for cold weather payments was reached in the constituency of Clydesdale.

Mr. Major

From 11 December 1986 to 25 January 1987, the trigger temperature for cold weather payments was minus 1.5 deg C. From 26 January, it was amended to 0 deg C. The constituency of Clydesdale has three weather stations at Dumfries, Glasgow airport and Prestwick. In the week commencing 12 January, Dumfries and Prestwick reached the minus 1.5 deg C. trigger temperature. In the week commencing 26 January Glasgow airport triggered at 0 deg C. Payments were, however, available to people in the qualifying groups throughout the country for the weeks commencing 12 and 19 January.

Mr. Bruce

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list by his Department's offices how many people applied for the extra £5 payment for exceptionally cold weather allowance made available for the weeks beginning 12 and 19 January; how many applications have been processed; and how many payments have been made.

Mr. Major

[pursuant to his reply, 11 May 1987, c. 130]: The information is not available in the precise form requested. Local offices have been asked to make a return so that the number of payments made and claims refused over the entire winter period can be calculated. Not all of these returns have yet been received. A copy of the returns will be placed in the Library as soon as possible.

Up to 10 March, the latest date for which information is available, approximately two million exceptionally cold weather payments of £5 have been made and 377,500 claims refused.