HC Deb 21 May 1981 vol 5 cc151-3W
Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a breakdown of expenditure on heating costs for 1978–79 to 1981–82 into (a) the fuel discount scheme, (b) family income supplement, (c) heating allowances uprated in line with supplementary benefit.. (d) extending the scope of heating allowances, (e) increasing the value of heating allowances in addition to (c), and (f) other elements providing the figures in terms of current prices, January 1981 prices and January 1981 fuel prices.

Mrs. Chalker

The information is not available precisely in the form requested, but such information as is available is given below. The electricity discount scheme was the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Energy.

Estimated Annual Expenditure on Heating Costs in Supplementary Benefit and Family Income Supplement (FIS)
Year Current prices £ million Based on all items RPI at January 1981 prices £ million Based on Fuel RPI at January 1981 prices £ million
1978–79
(b) FIS
(c) Normal heating additions (HAs) 90 124 139
1979–80
(b) FIS 1.5 1.75 2
(c) Normal HAs for over 75s 104 124 141
(d) HAs for over 75s and under 5s 4 4 5
1980–81
(b) FIS 6.75 6.75 7
(c) Normal HAs 139 141 147
(d)
(i) HAs for over 75s and under 5s 12 13 13
Year Current prices £ million Based on all items RPI at January 1981 prices £ million Based on Fuel RPI at January 1981 prices £ million
(ii) 70–74s 3 3 3
1981–82
(b) FIS 12 *11 *N.A.
(c) Normal HAs 199 183 N.A.
(d)
(i) HAs for over 75s and under 5s 18 17 N.A.
(ii) 70–74s 9 8 N.A.
*Based on the assumption, published in the 1980 public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd 8175) of a year-on-year increase of 11 per cent. in prices between 1980–81 and 1981–82. Similar information is not available for the fuel index.