§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Social Security a review of the location of monitoring stations used to calculate the additional cold weather payments; what assessment he has made of the performance of the monitoring stations; and if he will make a statement. [109926]
§ Dr. ReidThe Secretary of State for Social Security is responsible for the Cold Weather Payments Scheme. He consults ministerial colleagues in the UK Government as necessary. As well as the Cold Weather Payments Scheme, the Government have also provided substantial help to eligible elderly households through Winter Fuel Payments. Under these payments, we estimate that this winter around £70 million has been paid to over 900,000 Scottish pensioners.