§ Ms HodgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the criteria for determining the temperature at which cold weather payments are triggered(a) generally, (b) in the Barking constituency and (c) in the Dagenham constituency; and what plans he has to review these criteria. [11476]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe criteria for determining cold weather payment trigger temperatures are the same throughout the country: when the average temperature is, or is forecast to be, 0?C (freezing point) or below over any seven consecutive day period. We consider this to he a reasonable indication of a sustained period of very cold weather not normally expected to occur in the majority of British winters. The weather stations used for Barking are Heathrow and Stanstead. Dagenham is served solely by Stanstead.
There are no plans for major changes to the scheme.
§ Mr. Charles KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many times the Tiree monitoring station has triggered the system of cold weather payments since it was first designated for such purposes. [10679]
§ Mr. EvansSince 1 November 1991, when Tiree was first used in the cold weather payment scheme, no triggers have occurred.