HC Deb 26 October 1984 vol 65 c756W
Mr. Corbyn

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate the total income from standing charges from gas and electricity in 1982–83 and 1983–84; how many consumers were affected by concessionary payments; and how many of these were pensioners.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

The gas and electricity industries' income from standing charges is £500 million a year each. Estimates indicate that 3 million gas and 2 million electricity consumers received rebates under the industries' standing charge rebate schemes in 1983–84, the first full year of their operation, and that for electricity around a third of these were pensioners. No estimate is available for gas.