§ Miss Lestorasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will subsidise local authorities whose areas are affected by aircraft noise to enable them to meet in full the cost of double glazing of homes occupied by a single person or a married couple who are pensioners.
§ Mr. Michael HeseltineNoise insulation grants schemes at airports, such as Heathrow, which come within the responsibility of my right hon. Friend are financed not by local authorities but by the airport authority. At Heathrow, the maximum grant available to all those eligible, including pensioners, is already 100 per cent. of £360 in certain areas very close to the airport, and elsewhere 75 per cent. of £275. Additionally, a 100 per cent. grant is available in all areas of the scheme in cases involving persons, otherwise eligible for grant, who are in receipt of the higher rates of attendance allowance. The question of extending the 100 per cent. grant to cover all pensioners was carefully considered when the terms of the Heathrow scheme were reviewed and improved last year but it was decided that such an extension could not be justified.