§ 47. Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will take steps to alert social security offices and social services departments to the particular problem which electricity, gas and coal prices will bring for the elderly, handicapped and others in need in the coming winter.
§ Mr. MeacherI am assured by the Supplementary Benefits Commission that social security offices are already alert to this problem. The regional social work service of the Department has been asked to draw the attention of directors of social services specially to the problems of the 101W elderly and the dangers of hypothermia, even though local authority social services departments are already very much aware of the difficulties which face low-income groups generally over fuel bills and heating problems.