§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit recipients were covered by the direct deduction arrangements for (a) electricity and (b) gas charges at the latest available date; and what was the
762Wclaimants were paying maintenance to their former spouses.
§ Mr. DeakinsNo information is available on male divorcees including how many such claimants were paying maintenance to their former spouses. Following is the information requested on female divorcees.
average weekly sum deducted from benefit payments for each fuel.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe latest available figures are given in table 10.1 of the Supplementary Benefits Commission annual report for 1977 (Cmnd. 7392).
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit recipients were receiving extra needs payments in respect of heating charges at the latest available date; what was the total annual cost; and what was the average weekly sum paid.
§ Mr. DeakinsIn November 1977, the latest date for which figures are available, heating additions were included in the assessment of 1,456,000 supplementary beneficiaries at an average rate of £1.10 a week and an annual cost of £83 million. The rates of heating addition were increased in November 1978.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount given to poorer families to help specifically with fuel costs through (a) lump sum additions to national assistance or supplementary benefit, (b) weekly additions to national assistance or supplementary benefit, (c) the electricity discount scheme and (d) any other means for 763W each year since 1948 in money terms and at current prices.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe available information is as follows
(a) Lump sum payments of supplementary benefit. Paragraph 9.5 and table 9.4 of the Supplementary Benefits Commission's annual report for 1977—Cmnd. 7392—set out what figures are available. Figures were not collected for years before 1975. The value at current prices of the average amounts for 1975 and 1977 shown in that table are £35.19 and £28.70 respectively. Annual costs have not been cal-calculated since not all payments are recorded in this analysis.
(b) Weekly additions to supplementary benefit:
Estimated annual equivalent cost of additions in payment in November/December £ million Estimated annual cost at current prices£ million 1973 … 10.5 23.0 1974 … 20.0 36.0 1975 … 35.0 51.0 1976 … 61.0 77.0 1977 … 83.0 93.0 Between 1966 and October 1973 heating additions were offset against the 50p—75p if claimant or his wife are over 80—held to be available in the long-term scale rate towards special expenses. It is thus not possible to calculate the annual cost of heating additions for years prior to that date. Figures for that period before 1966 are not detailed enough to provide a reliable estimate of cost.
(c) Electricity discount scheme:
Cost of payments made £million Cost of payments made at current prices £million 1977 … 11.1 13.2 1978 … 21.6 23.5
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he has taken on the proposal in the annual report of the Supplementary Benefits Commission for the introduction of a fuel rebate scheme.
§ Mr. DeakinsOfficials have been asked to study this and other possible schemes of support for fuel costs.