§ Mr. Welshasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons over 65 years of age benefited from the scheme assisting elderly persons with their fuel bills during last winter; how many will benefit this winter as a result of the changes he is now proposing to introduce; and how many persons he estimates will have benefited in last year's scheme who will not now benefit.
301W
§ Mrs. ChalkerIt is estimated that about 2½ million people over 65 received payments under the electricity discount scheme earlier this year, average value £7.50, compared with the 110,000 supplementary pensioners who will receive a heating addition worth nearly £50 over the year under the proposals announced by my right hon. Friend on 22 October. —[Vol. 972, c. 35–6.]