Vol. 467 No. 3
99 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total values of contributions received in 1995 by his Department from liable relatives towards payment of social welfare benefits; the number of payments made towards the cost of the lone parents allowance; the value of such payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13127/96]
Contributions from liable relatives towards the cost of social welfare payments amounted to £342,000 approximately in 1995. This sum represents payments in respect of deserted wife's benefit, deserted wife's allowance and lone parent's allowance. There were 251 liable relatives contributing at the end of 1995:
The contributions are largely weekly or monthly but in some cases they are made on an ad hoc basis. It is estimated that 39 per cent of liable relatives who paid contributed towards lone parent's allowance. The operation of the scheme is being reviewed in the context of the new one parent family benefit.
100 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Social Welfare the consideration, if any, he has given to amending the fuel allowance scheme for the next payment period in order to allow for the continuation of the payment from its normal expiry date of mid-April in any year in which unseasonally cold weather continues after the scheme's usual expiry date; if his attention has been drawn to the unseasonally cold weather that occurred for over a month after the last expiry date two months ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13130/96]
The information requested by the Deputy is contained in my reply to Question No. 197 on 28 May 1996.
