§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the cost per tonne of fuel delivered of the retired miners' concessionary fuel scheme. [102394]
§ Mrs. LiddellThe cost per tonne of fuel delivered under the retired miners' concessionary fuel scheme varies considerably between different types of fuel and different parts of the country. The weighted average cost per tonne of fuel delivered between April 1999 and November 1999, including VAT at 5 per cent., was £160.00.
§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the(a) total cost of the retired miners' concessionary fuel scheme and (b) the total number of retired miners eligible for it, in the last quarter for which figures are available. [102400]
§ Mrs. LiddellBritish Coal's former employees and their dependants are eligible to benefits under the retired miners' concessionary fuel scheme in two forms, solid fuel and cash in lieu of solid fuel. In the three months September to November 1999 the total cost of the scheme was:
(a) £million Fuel 14.7 Cash in lieu 5.4 Total 20.1
The number of beneficiaries eligible was: (b) Number Fuel 79,752 Cash in lieu 78,701 Total 158,453
§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the level of entitlement to retired miners concessionary fuel for each of the client groups entitled to receive it. [102402]
§ Mrs. LiddellThe level of entitlement is set out in Fuel Agreements which were negotiated between British Coal (BC) and the various mining unions. The entitlements can be taken in either solid fuel or cash in lieu. The amount of solid fuel a former employee of BC, or their dependant, can receive each year varies according to the types of solid fuel, the householder status, age and location of the beneficiary.
118WTypical entitlements for former industrial and clerical workers who are full householders are in the following ranges:
Tonnes Housecoal 5,000–5,100 Anthracites 4,100–5,000 Manufactures smokeless fuels 3,350–4,800 The cash-in-lieu rates for these former grades is either £267 or £360 a year.