§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many homes in Wales are defined as fuel poor households; and how many of these include (i) pensioners and (ii) children. [23950]
§ Mr. Paul Murphy[holding answer 19 December 2001]: Housing issues in Wales are generally a matter for the National Assembly for Wales. However, the Government and devolved Administrations are working in partnership to tackle fuel poverty throughout the UK through the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy. One of the Government's initiatives in this area is the payment of winter fuel payments, now at £200 a year, helping up to 460,000 pensioner households in Wales.
877WThe UK Fuel Poverty Strategy did not provide statistics on households in Wales in the form requested. However, using a proxy of households in Wales eligible for the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (based on the Welsh House Condition Survey 1997–98), the strategy estimated that of the approximately 222,000 such households in Wales, 117,000 contain at least one person over the age of 60; 40,000 are lone parents; 32,000 contain at least one person who is sick or disabled and 33,000 are other forms of households with children.
The Assembly are considering a possible general household survey in 2003 which will contain one element to cover fuel poverty.