MULHOLLAND PURSUES GOVERNMENT ON WINTER FUEL PAYMENTS

12.00.00am GMT Mon 5th Feb 2007

Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West, again raised the issue of Winter Fuel Payments, and specifically those for the severely disabled, in Parliament today.

Mr Mulholland questioned Pensions Minister Anne McGuire during Work and Pensions questions in the House, as to how the Government planned to stop pensioners and the severely disabled spending this winter in fuel poverty, given that it is critically failing to meet its own target of eradicating fuel poverty by 2016. Instead, Government ministers have admitted that they expect the number of vulnerable households in fuel poverty to increase by 1 million homes.

Commenting, Greg Mulholland said:

"Yet again this Government is failing to provide for some of the most vulnerable groups in our society.

"Many severely disabled people are spending this winter in fuel poverty without the help they desperately need.

"How many more winters will they face before the Government gives them the help that they need.

"Winter Fuel Payments are not reaching people who really need them and the Government is moving further and further away from its target to eradicate fuel poverty, yet no action is being taken to address this critical problem."