§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to alleviate the effects on disabled people of the abolition of the electricity discount scheme.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinThere was no special provision for the disabled in the previous Administration's electricity discount scheme. Benefits for disabled people have just been increased and so have the supplementary benefit heating additions. The criteria for the award of these additions take particular account of the state of health of beneficiaries.
1978 1975 (a) Posts not occupied by a permanent holder* which had at one time been advertised … 905 749 (b) Posts in category (a) which had been vacant for one year or more … 456 329 (c) Posts not occupied by a permanent holder which had been advertised during the previous year … 497 457 (d) Posts in category (c) which had been vacant for one year or more … 185 123 * Of these posts, 381 and 306 respectively were wholly or partially occupied by locums.