§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Energy how many applications for electricity discount have been approved at the latest available date and at what total cost; and how these figures compare with the same period of 1977.
§ Dr. John CunninghamProvisional figures to date show that some 600,000
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§ Mr. EadieThe figures are as follows:—
electricity consumers have claimed the discount on electricity board bills over £20, to a total value of £4.5 million. At the same stage of the 1977 scheme, some 1.3 million people had claimed, but over half of those had bills of £20 or less and would this year have been eligible only for the £5 payment in January. Eligible consumers with electricity board bills over £20 based on meter readings due between 1st January and 31st March 1978 (slightly different arrangements apply in the South of Scotland) can still get discount vouchers from post offices up to 30th June, in addition to the £5 payment they received in January. I would urge all those eligible consumers who have not yet claimed their electricity discount vouchers to do so without delay.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Energy how much of the £25 million allocated for the 1978 fuel discount scheme was spent on the original £5 payment to everyone receiving supplementary benefit or family income supplement.
§ Dr. John CunninghamAbout 3.2 million recipients of supplementary benefit and family income supplement—virtually all those eligible—received the £5 payment made in January towards electricity and other fuel costs. This amounted to just over £16 million of the £25 million available for the scheme.