§ Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will place in the Library the factual and analytical material on which he based his decision not to continue the electricity discount scheme.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe Government's decision not to repeat the electricity discount scheme, but to increase family income supplements and to ask the Supplementary Benefits Commission to provide the additional help detailed in my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 22 October—[Vol. 972, c. 35–36]—was taken in the light of the following information, which is already available:
- 1. Average fuel price rises for domestic consumers in 1979 as follows: gas, 8½ per cent. on 1 June; electricity, 8½ per cent. on 1 June, 8½ per cent. on 1 September; coal 8 per cent. on 1 July, 9 per cent. on 1 November. The price of crude oil has risen by about 65 per cent. this year; the price of oil products for domestic use has risen in consequence, although by a smaller amount. The overall effect on the retail prices index of all these increases is about 1 per cent.
741 - 2. "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1979–80 to 1982–83"—Cmnd. 7439—that is, the last Government's plans, in which there was no provision for additional help for poor fuel consumers, meant that additional help this winter required resources in 1979–80 extra to those in the last Government's plans, which this Government were committed to reduce.
- 3. The Supplementary Benefit Commission's annual report for 1978—Cmnd. 7725—in which paragraph 15.1, table 15.2 and appendix G detail the help given to supplementary beneficiaries by way of heating additions.
In addition I am placing in the Library a table summarising information about the costs, benefits and beneficiaries under the electricity discount scheme and this Government's measures.