§ Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will undertake a review of regulation 30 of the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulations 1980 in order to enable the provision of liquid gas appliances as an alternative means of cooking for those householders without a supply of electricity; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerNo. I assume that the right hon. Member has in mind the guidance on regulation 30 issued by the chief supplementary benefit officer to the effect that a single payment should not be awarded for a liquid gas appliance to people with no experience of them. It is for the CSBO to issue guidance to benefit officers, who are the first tier of the independent adjudicating authority, on the application of the supplementary benefit regulations. I understand that this guidance was prepared after consulting published Home Office advice on the use of such appliances and because of concern that there was no possibility of supervision of their use. If the right hon. Member has a specific circumstance in mind, perhaps he will write to me.