To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what average amount households paid in 2006 to top up a Warm Front grant for an energy efficiency measure; and how many such households paid to top up their Warm Front grant in 2006. (156363)

The average top up or excess paid per household in England in 2006-07 was £437.86. The number of excess payments was 30,666.

It is not possible from the data held to determine exactly who paid the excess in each case. In addition to individual householders, a number of third parties such as charities, local authorities and installers have all contributed to excess payments in 2006-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many households in England received Warm Front grants in 2006; how many rural households in England received Warm Front grants in 2006; and what the average value of a Warm Front grant to a rural household in England was in 2006. (156364)

A total of 253,079 households in England received Warm Front grants in 2006-07. Of these, 37,496 were classified as rural households under the criteria set out by the Office for National Statistics. The average grant to those rural households was £1,104.44.