§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current total membership of regional health authorities; and how many members are women.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThere are 242 regional health authority members, of whom 53 are women.
342WPayments) Regulations. This regulation provides that, subject to the normal rules about single payments, including £500 capital limit, people on supplementary benefit are entitled to single payments in respect of their fuel costs where those costs are greater than the amount the claimant has put aside to pay for them because a period of exceptionally severe weather has resulted in consumption greater than normal. It is for the independent adjudicating authorities to decide whether these requirements are satisfied. As explained in paragraphs 7426 and following of the Department's S Manual, a copy of which is in the Library, the Chief Supplementary Benefit Officer has made arrangements to notify local offices if, in his view, the condition in regulation 26, that there has been a period of exceptionally severe weather, has been satisfied. In deciding this, he has regard to data provided by the Meteorological Office—the details, including the trigger levels for various parts of the country, are set out in appendix 19 of the S Manual. The trigger levels have not so far been reached this winter in any part of Great Britain.