§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what he estimates to be the full year cost of changes announced in the Budget and uprating statements of the cold weather payments and the home energy efficiency scheme.
§ Mr. Roger EvansCold weather payments will rise to £8.50 from 1 November 1995. The full year cost of this change will depend on the number of cold weather payments made, but if the same number of payments are made as in 1993–94, costs will increase by £3.15 million between 1994–95 and 1995–96.
The Department of Environment have agreed additional resources of £30 million in each of the next three years for the home energy efficiency scheme—a 43 per cent. increase in funding compared with expenditure in 1994–95.
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§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the total annual cost for(a) cold weather payments and (b) the home energy efficiency scheme for 1994–95 and 1995–96; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Roger EvansOn the assumption of the same number of cold weather payments made in 1993–94, expenditure is estimated at £14.7 million in 1994–95, and £17.85 million in 1995–96.
The total annual cost of the home energy efficiency scheme including 2.55 per cent. management costs will be £75.2 million in 1994–95, almost double the amount available in 1993–94. In 1995–96, it will be £106.2 million, an increase of 43 per cent. on the previous year.