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Fuel Poverty

If the hon. Gentleman will wait a minute or so, he might hear my answer to his question. I shall turn to the recommendations that I want to put to the Minister and hon. Members. The winter fuel payment has been extremely important in helping many millions of pensioners to meet the cost of fuel bills over the winter months, but we must do more to examine ways of ensuring that payment increases take account of the increases in energy costs, because it will be important for many pensioners. In addition, there is a strong case for extending payments to other key vulnerable groups living on very low incomes. That might include households in which there are people with disabilities. People with long-term sickness who are on lower incomes should also be considered for winter fuel payments. There are cost restrictions, and the line must be drawn somewhere, but in many cases those groups are arguably in a worse situation than that of many pensioners. Those groups certainly deserve at least the same winter fuel payment, and I urge the Minister to consider that possibility.