HC Deb 04 February 2004 vol 417 cc902-3W
Mr. Lepper

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what funding her Department has provided for the Warm Front programme in each year of that programme, including the current financial year; [151887]

(2) when she expects to be able to announce the level of funding for the Warm Front programme in the (a) next financial year and (b) future years of the scheme. [151888]

Mr. Morley

The level of expenditure under Warm Front since the start of the scheme is as follows: 2000–01—£72 million; 2001–02—£197 million; 2002–03—£163 million. For the current financial year, 2003–04; £152 million has been allocated to Warm Front.

Decisions on future funding of the scheme will be considered during the normal Government spending round process and announcements will be made after final decisions have been taken.

Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many households she estimates are eligible for the Warm Front scheme in(a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley; and how many households qualify for the Warm Homes Plus element of the programme. [151206]

Mr. Morley

We are preparing estimates of the total number of households in England currently eligible for assistance under Warm Front as part of the next spending round process.

In addition we will be producing an Implementation Plan on the action required to achieve targets and tackle fuel poverty.

Information on eligibility of the Warm Front scheme cannot be provided at a local authority level. The smallest area for which the Department for Work and Pensions can provide estimates of those eligible for the scheme is regional government office.