asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to issue any guidance during the current winter on the interpretation of regulation 26 of the supplementary benefit regulations governing single payments due to exceptionally severe weather; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to increase the effectiveness and fairness of the operation of the supplementary benefit single payment for exceptionally severe weather, particularly so far as claims by eligible elderly people in the coming winter are concerned.

I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) on 11 November at columns 95–96.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the total numbers of people who claimed cold weather payments in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985 to date.

Information is not available on the total numbers of people who have claimed supplementary benefit single payments for extra fuel used as a result of periods of exceptionally severe weather. The number of payments made in recent years is as follows: