§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for those areas of(a) Greenock and (b) Port Glasgow within the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow entitled to receive cold weather payments, the weather station used as the basis for calculations; in respect of how many days each area has received cold weather payments in winter 1995–96; what has been the total amount paid to date; and if he will make a statement. [18055]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe administration of the social fund is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
376WLetter from Peter Mathison to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 7 November 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will list for those areas of (a) Greenock and (b) Port Glasgow within the Parliamentary Constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow entitled to receive Cold Weather Payments (CWPs), the weather station used as the basis for calculations; in respect of how many days each area has received CWPs in winter 1995–96; what has been the total amount paid to date; and if he will make a statement.
The information is not available in the format requested. CWP statistics are not kept which are specific to Parliamentary Constituencies or for individual Benefit Offices, but are kept for Benefit Agency (BA) Districts. The BA District Clyde Coast and Cowal comprises of the BA Offices of Greenock and Port Glasgow and covers the postal codes: KA25, KA28 to KA30 inclusive, PA 11 and PA13 to PA27 inclusive. This District is linked to the weather station at Glasgow Airport.
The weather station at Glasgow Airport has had 21 days of identified cold weather. The total amount of CWPs paid from December 1995 to date is £231,854.50. Statistics are not yet available for any clerical payments which may have been made in February by the District.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
§ Ms Roseanna CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which weather stations are used as the basis of calculations for cold weather payments in the constituency of Perth and Kinross; for how many days each eligible area has received cold weather payments in winter 1995–96; and what has been the total amount paid. [19168]
§ Mr. EvansThe administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Ms Roseanna Cunningham, dated 7 March 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking about which weather stations in the Parliamentary constituency of Perth and Kinross were used to calculate Cold Weather Payments (CWPs), how many days each eligible area received CWPs in winter 1995–96, and the total amount paid.
The information is not available in the format requested. This is because statistics are not kept which are specific to Parliamentary constituencies but are kept by Benefit Agency Districts. The constituency of Perth and Kinross is dealt with by the Agency's Tayside District. Postal codes within the District are linked to weather stations at Aberdeen Airport, Aviemore, Edinburgh Airport and Leuchars. Details of the postal codes which are linked to each weather station are available in the Library.
The weater station at Aberdeen Airport has had 21 days of identified Cold Weather, Aviemore has had 42 days, Edinburgh Airport has had 14 days and Leuchars has had 21 days.
This winter, to date, Tayside District has made CWPs amounting to £535,568. This does not include any clerical payments which may have been made by the District in February as these details are not yet available.
I hope you find this reply helpful.