To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the figures on pensioners' expenditure in the regions given in his answer of 13 March 1991, Official Report, columns 536–37 to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan, (Mr. Salmond).
[holding answer 27 February 1992]: The information for 1989, the latest year available on this basis, is in the table:
| 1. Pensioners' average weekly annual expenditure 1989 | |
| Fuel, light and power | £ per week |
| Region | |
| North | 8·12 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 8·20 |
| East Midlands | 8·50 |
| East Anglia | 8·10 |
Fuel, light and power
| £ per week
|
| Greater London | 7·70 |
| South East, excluding London | 18·60 |
| South West | 7·60 |
| Wales | 8·50 |
| West Midlands | 9·30 |
| North West | 19·60 |
| Scotland | 9·30 |
| Northern Ireland | 111·60 |
| All United Kingdom | 8·50 |
2. Pensioners' average weekly winter expenditure 1989
| |
| North | 18·40 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 19·40 |
| East Midlands | 18·70 |
| East Anglia | 18·40 |
| Greater London | 18·50 |
| South East, excluding London | 19·90 |
| South West | 18·40 |
| Wales | 9·40 |
| West Midlands | 110·30 |
| North West | 110·10 |
| Scotland | 19·30 |
| Northern Ireland | 110·10 |
| All United Kingdom | 9·20 |
Notes:
1. The tables are based on data from the Family Expenditure Survey for 1989.
2. Estimates marked with ' are derived from samples smaller than 100 units. They are, therefore, less reliable than the other data presented and should be treated with caution.
3. The figures are for pensioner households which are defined as those occupied by one pensioner tax unit only. This may be a single pensioner or a couple where the head of the tax unit is over pensionable age.
4. The regions shown are the standard breakdown. Any further disaggregation could not be supported by sample sizes.
5. Winter has been defined as the five months of the year when higher fuel bills might be paid (January to May).
6. Figures will be affected by the receipt of rebates relating to earlier periods.