asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will revise the scheme for deducting a weekly sum from supplementary benefits, to enable people to save for future fuel bills in order to assist parents who are working, or to those on a widow's benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Supplementary benefit is not payable to those in full-time work; and where it is paid on top of earnings from part-time work or a national insurance benefit, such as widow's benefit, the amount may not be sufficient to enable a deduction to be made covering the cost of current fuel consumption. Where it is sufficient, however, a deduction can be made either by agreement with the fuel board, to prevent disconnection of the supply where this would cause hardship, or at the claimant's request as a saving against future bills.