§ Mr. HansonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy that weather stations situated in Wales be used for monitoring in respect of cold weather payments for all postcode areas in Wales. [11425]
§ Mr. Roger EvansNo. Postcodes are linked to specified weather stations based on expert advice from the Meteorological Office as to similarity of climate and not according to administrative boundaries.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what work has been carried out for his Department to determine the effect of wind chill on 507W buildings; what has been the role of the Building Research Establishment executive agency in this work; and if he will make a statement. [11277]
§ Mr. EvansTraditionally, wind chill is a concept designed to show the impact of wind on humans in the outside air and not its impact on buildings.
Advice received from the Meteorological Office—recommendations by the Meteorological Office for the summer of 1996 review of the cold weather payment scheme (August 1996)—placed in the Library, October 1996—suggested that, for much of the country, the effects of wind are too small and highly variable for there to be merit in reviewing the cold weather payment scheme for it, but invited the Government to decide whether further work was appropriate.
As said—to the Sixth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation (18 December 1996, Official Report, column 10) and in the Cold Weather Payments (Wind Chill Factor) Bill Second Reading debate (17 January 1997, Official Report, column 593)—the merits of this approach will be considered as part of this summer's review.