Written question asked by Mike Penning (Conservative) on Monday, 13 February 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 15 February 2006. It was answered by Malcolm Wicks (Labour) on Monday, 27 February 2006 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Solid Fuel Allowances

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the estimated liabilities of solid fuel allowances paid by his Department.

Answer: The Department has a responsibility to provide either solid fuel or a cash alternative to around 120,000 beneficiaries of the National Concessionary Fuel Scheme. The number of beneficiaries is declining at around 6 per cent. a year and the liability will continue for several decades. The provision for this liability at 31 March 2005, as published in the Department of Trade and Industry Consolidated Resource Accounts 2004–05 (HC 612, 5 December 2005) stood at £338,759,000.

Secondary information