§ Mr. Loydenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what special arrangements have been made by his Department to protect old-age pensioners from disconnection of their gas and/or electricity supply, following the ending of the moratorium on fuel disconnections;
(2) in view of the distress and hardship caused to OAPs by fuel disconnections, if he will investigate ways of avoiding disconnection of supply by means of a fuel rebate.
§ Mr. DeakinsIt remains the policy of the gas and electricity authorities not to disconnect supply to pensioner households. Under existing liaison arrangements, cases of possible hardship are referred to the Supplementary Benefits Commission. The Government are urgently considering the whole question of disconnections in the light of the recommendations made by the Oakes Committee.