HC Deb 18 December 2003 vol 415 c1106W
Annabelle Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many winter fuel payment claim forms have been issued in 2003 in each constituency in Scotland other than Perth; and how many such forms have been submitted. [142655]

Malcolm Wicks

The information is not readily available in the format requested but will be provided to the hon. Member and placed in the Library when it becomes available. However for all the constituencies in Scotland, excluding Perth, 3,337 claim forms have been issued so far for this winter and of those 2,504 have been returned.

We are publicising the availability of Winter Fuel Payments and how to obtain a claim form. Those who need to claim for this winter have until 30 March 2004 to do so.

Notes:

Information to identify those likely to be entitled was extracted from the Departmental Central Index based on post codes.

Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many winter fuel payment claim forms have been issued in 2003; and how many claim forms were submitted before 19 September 2003 in order for people to receive their payment before Christmas, broken down by(a) region and (b) constituency. [143081]

Malcolm Wicks

The information is not readily available in the format requested but will be provided to the hon. Member and placed in the Library when it becomes available. However, the number of claim forms issued so far to people in Great Britain likely to become entitled for the first time to a Winter Fuel Payment is 302,353 and 171,547 claim forms were returned before 19 September 2003.

We are publicising the availability of Winter Fuel Payments and how to obtain a claim form. Those who need to claim for this winter have until 30 March 2004 to do so.

Notes:

Information to identify those likely to be entitled was extracted from the Departmental Central Index based on post codes.