§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many more pensioners will be eligible for severe weather payments arising from the ability to claim income support arising from the uprating statement.
§ Mr. ScottI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 5 November. All pensioners who receive income support are eligible for a cold weather payment.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total of severe weather payments paid by benefit offices covering Nottingham, North constituency for each of the last five years; if he will break down this figure by week or payment; and if he will estimate the number of claimants involved.
§ Mr. ScottThe information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the Library.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the operation of he severe weather payments scheme proposed for the coming winter.
§ Mr. ScottThe cold weather payments scheme has been considerably improved for the coming winter. Payments of £6 for every period of cold weather will be paid automatically to eligible people as soon as a seven-day period of exceptionally cold weather is forecast by the Met Office or actually occurs. The capital rule has also been abolished, making approximately 400,000 more people eligible for payments.
In addition some improvements have been made to weather station linkages.
§ Mr. McKelveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current cost of the information received from the meteorological service for the purpose of calculating cold weather payments.
§ Mr. ScottThe Meteorological Office charged this Department £5,984.32 to provide the information necessary for the calculation of cold weather payments for the winter 1990–91.