§ Mr. Alan SimpsonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 12 December 1997,Official Report, column 730, what estimates she has made regarding the proportion of pensioners who will use the extra finance allocated in the Chancellor's pre-Budget statement to reduce existing fuel bills. [22366]
§ Mr. BattleThe extra money is being given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor, with the intention that it will help pensioners with their winter fuel bills. Pensioners themselves will choose whether to use the money to finance extra energy consumption or to help pay existing bills.