HC Deb 30 April 1990 vol 171 c419W
Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the target reductions for energy consumption in the buildings occupied by his Department.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The Department's target for energy savings is to reduce the level of consumption by 15 per cent. over the next five years, after correction for weather and space occupied, in line with the Government's overall target for energy consumption.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department for the latest year available.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The latest available figures are for the financial year 1988–89. The division of administration of the Department of Health and Social Security was not completed at that time and the figures therefore reflect the consumption of both Departments.

Energy consumption
Gas 7.8m therms
Electricity 130m kWhrs
Solid fuel 4,250 tonnes
Liquid fuel 4.6m litres

Ms. Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps have been taken to enable people on action credit schemes to maintain full entitlement to national insurance contributions if(a) the participant receives the commission bonus, but remains unemployed, and (b) the participant receives the commission bonus and enters full-time employment.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

A person who completes a course of training under an action credit scheme but who subsequently remains unemployed can then claim class 1 national insurance contributions credits. If he or she enters full-time employment class I national insurance contributions will be payable in the normal way.

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