§ Mr. McTaggartasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the Government schemes and subsidies which are aimed at helping domestic consumers cope with rising fuel bills.
§ Mr. John MooreA number of schemes are operated to help meet fuel bills and to encourage conservation measures. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services was responsible for the payment of some £325 million in the financial year to March 1983, in the104W heating additions to supplementary benefit. Supplementary benefit recipients can also qualify for lump sum payments towards high bills in special circumstances and for assistance with some conservation measures. Assistance with loft insulation and associated lagging of tanks and pipes is also widely available through the homes insulation scheme of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. My own Department provides grants to voluntary organisations to establish home insulation projects. Under the voluntary code of practice the gas and electricity industries operate a number of "pay as you go" schemes to assist consumers and cooperate with the Department of Health and Social Security in the "fuel direct" scheme to help those in debt pay off bills through regular deductions from supplementary benefit. The industries have also recently introduced new arrangements to limit the standing charge component of the bills of small consumers.