§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest figures for the numbers of retirement pensioners in receipt (a) of a supplementary pension and (b) of rent or rate rebates; and what would be the extra cost of paying to everyone in these categories a heating allowance equal to twice the lower rate heating addition now payable with supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. RossiIn December 1980, about 1.7 million retirement pensioners were receiving a supplementary pension and about two million a rent or a rate rebate. The additional cost of paying everyone in each of these categories a heating addition equal to twice the existing lower rate heating addition would be about £120 million and £340 million a year respectively.