§ Shona McIsaacTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of men aged 60 to 65 years in Cleethorpes constituency who are entitled to winter fuel allowance. [123877]
§ Angela EagleThe Department does not hold sufficient data to enable us to determine the number of men aged between 60 and 64 years in the Cleethorpes constituency.
We are not able to identify all those people between 60 and 64 who may not have had any need to contact the Department and who are not receiving a Social Security benefit. However, claim forms are in the process of being issued to those people whom we think may be eligible and whom we can identify from the Department's records. A publicity campaign will run to ensure that those people who do not get a claim form are encouraged to claim.
§ Mr. David TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what advice leaflets have been issued to (i) DSS offices and (ii) the general public in relation to the operation of the winter fuel scheme as revised by the announcement of 11 April. [123718]
§ Angela EagleDepartmental local offices have been kept up to date with changes to the winter fuel payment scheme by means of a series of internal bulletins issued between January and May. The public are being kept informed through a number of means. We are in the process of contacting people who we think are eligible for backdated payments, and whom we can identify. In addition, information and advertising started in April and will run until Christmas. The campaign will aim to ensure that newly eligible people know what the arrangements are for claiming backdated payments resulting from the revised eligibility rules. It will also provide information about the operation of the scheme next winter.
The provision of a leaflet for the general public will be timed to ensure that it has the maximum possible impact on their awareness in the period prior to next winter's qualifying week. Current thinking is that the best time to issue the leaflet will be in either late August or early September.
§ Mr. David TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which categories of women aged 60 or over during the week ending 24 September 2000 who are living in their own houses and are not subject to immigration control will not be included in the winter fuel scheme. [123719]
§ Angela EagleAll households where there is someone with the characteristics set out in the question will receive an appropriate payment. For administrative reasons, in the case of older couples receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, the winter fuel payment of £150 is paid to the claimant in the same way as weekly payments of benefit. So partners of Income Support100W or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance claimants who are aged 60 or more do not receive an individual payment. Partners in couples receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance are the only group to whom this arrangement applies.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in Crosby received winter fuel payments in(a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000; and how much was paid in total. [123530]
§ Angela EagleThe information is in the table.
Pensioners in receipt of winter fuel payments in Crosby and Great Britain Crosby National Number of recipients Amount (£) Number of recipients Amount (£) 1998–99 14,812 283,690 10,191,367 198,549,440 1999–2000 14,892 1,114,500 10,224,698 773,890,550 Notes:
1. Pensioners are defined as women over 60 and men either over 65 or over 60 and in receipt of Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance.
2. Constituency boundary as at May 1997.