Vol. 497 No. 2
292 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans, if any, he has to increase the income scale of eligibility which applies to the back to school clothing and footwear scheme in view of the large number of applicants who have not been successful in 1998. [24675/98]
The back-to-school clothing and footware allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards. The scheme is designed to assist certain recipients of social welfare and health board payments with the cost of children's school uniforms and footwear. Certain persons on low income who are in receipt of family income supplement may also qualify for assistance. Under the scheme an allowance of £43 is payable in respect of children from two to 11 years and an allowance of £58 is payable in respect of qualified children from 12 to 22 years.
Expenditure on the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance scheme has nearly doubled in the last seven years from £5.6 million in 1990 to over £11 million in 1998. The income limits for the allowance are based on social welfare payments and are automatically raised each year in line with the budgetary increases in those payments. Applications for assistance from those who do not qualify for payment under the scheme may be considered in special circumstances, under section 181 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993 (Exceptional Needs Payments).
There are no proposals to change the income limits other than the normal budgetary increases. Any additional increase in the income limits would have cost implications and could only be considered in a budgetary context.
294 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when the last increase was given in relation to fuel allowance; if he will increase this allowance; and if he will make it payable over 12 months. [24677/98]
The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are on long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. A payment of £5 per week, £8 per week in smokeless zones, is paid to eligible households for 26 weeks from mid-October to mid-April.
Expenditure on the national fuel scheme has increased by approximately 20 per cent in the last five years from £37.5 million in 1993 to £45 million in 1997. This year a sum of £45.2 million has been provided in the Estimates for the scheme.
It is generally accepted that the fuel and light component of the consumer price index measures the changes in fuel costs. These data show that fuel prices have fallen slightly in the last two years.
The fuel allowance was last increased in October 1985. Increasing the rate of fuel allowance, or making it payable in summer as well as winter, could only be considered in a budgetary context, taking into account increases in primary weekly payment rates. In that regard, the Deputy will recall that substantial increases of either £3 or £5 per week were paid from June 1998 in all the social welfare primary payments.
