§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the progress of the current electricity discount scheme.
§ Dr. John CunninghamThe scheme started on 1 January—1 February in the South of Scotland. Only very limited returns are so far available. Up to 27 January some 2.2 million recipients of supplementary benefit and family income supplement had received the £5 payments compared with some 2.5 million payments at the same point in the 1978 scheme. As expected with the extension of the discount element in this year's scheme to recipients of rate or rent rebate or rent allowance, more people are claiming discounts on electricity bills over £20. Up to 3 February some 165,000 had claimed in England and Wales compared with about 60,000 at the same point in last year's scheme.