§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the figures on pensioners' expenditure in the regions given in his answer of 13 March 1991,Official Report, columns 536–37 to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan, (Mr. Salmond).
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 27 February 1992]: The information for 1989, the latest year available on this basis, is in the table:
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1. Pensioners' average weekly annual expenditure 1989 Fuel, light and power £ per week Region North 8.12 Yorkshire and Humberside 8.20 East Midlands 8.50 East Anglia 8.10
Fuel, light and power £ per week Greater London 7.70 South East, excluding London 18.60 South West 7.60 Wales 8.50 West Midlands 9.30 North West 19.60 Scotland 9.30 Northern Ireland 111.60 All United Kingdom 8.50 2. Pensioners' average weekly winter expenditure 1989 North 18.40 Yorkshire and Humberside 19.40 East Midlands 18.70 East Anglia 18.40 Greater London 18.50 South East, excluding London 19.90 South West 18.40 Wales 9.40 West Midlands 110.30 North West 110.10 Scotland 19.30 Northern Ireland 110.10 All United Kingdom 9.20 Notes:
1. The tables are based on data from the Family Expenditure Survey for 1989.
2. Estimates marked with ' are derived from samples smaller than 100 units. They are, therefore, less reliable than the other data presented and should be treated with caution.
3. The figures are for pensioner households which are defined as those occupied by one pensioner tax unit only. This may be a single pensioner or a couple where the head of the tax unit is over pensionable age.
4. The regions shown are the standard breakdown. Any further disaggregation could not be supported by sample sizes.
5. Winter has been defined as the five months of the year when higher fuel bills might be paid (January to May).
6. Figures will be affected by the receipt of rebates relating to earlier periods.