Westminster Notes
Winter fuel cut challenged
A DUP motion calling on the Government to review its plans to cut winter fuel payment was defeated, with 205 MPs voting for and 280 against.
The annual tax-free payment was introduced in 1998. In 2008, Labour introduced a top-up of £50 for over 60s to £250 and £100 for over 80s to £400. These were cut by Chancellor George Osborne in the March 2011 Budget, despite David Cameron denying in opposition that he would cut the allowance if elected Prime Minister.
The coalition has claimed that it is only following the previous Government’s policy. Pensions Minister Steve Webb told the House on 22 November that savings of £80 billion have to be found in the UK’s budget and, instead of cutting cold weather payments, it decided to reduce the winter fuel payment to its previous levels.
Everyone over 65 receives the winter fuel payment, irrespective of their means. This was noted by Webb who referred to some members of the DUP who are eligible. William McCrea acknowledged his entitlement, adding that “when I have received it, I have always given it to a disabled family who do not get that allowance.”
Nigel Dodds accused the Coalition Government of not sticking to its pledges and said its decision to target fuel payments was “reprehensible.” He acknowledged that the cuts will bring the expenditure on winter fuel payments from £2.75 billion in 2010-2011 to £2.14 billion in 2011-2012, but asked: “At what cost?”
Dodds also pointed to initiatives in Northern Ireland such as the warm homes and boiler replacement schemes. However, these “do not mean that we can cut the winter fuel payment to such a massive extent” because it is an “important tool” for older people.
The motion was backed by Labour, Mark Durkan and Sylvia Hermon. Naomi Long, Alasdair McDonnell, Margaret Ritchie and Sammy Wilson were not present.
Durkan asked Webb how much money he was denying to pensioners in Northern Ireland by refusing to maintain the level of the winter fuel allowance. The Minister claimed it amounted to a change of “less than £1 a week.”
By-election cost
The West Belfast by-election, held on 9 June after Gerry Adams’ departure for Louth, cost approximately £171,500, agendaNi has learned.
When challenged on this cost, particularly at a time of financial hardship for many tax-payers, a spokesman said: “Sinn Féin’s preferred option for this election would have been a co-option which would have saved this expense but we do not make the rules at Westminster.”
Sinn Féin visits Westminster
While Sinn Féin MPs resolutely refuse to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen and therefore do not sit in the Commons, they do hold meetings with other MPs in Westminster every few months.
The party’s Northern Ireland economy spokesman, Conor Murphy, was the most recent MP to travel to London on 9 November when he met politicians and foreign diplomats to discuss the party’s opposition to “swingeing public spending cuts”.
Murphy also met with new Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Vernon Coaker. Coaker’s special advisor, Conor McGinn, is the son of Newry and Mourne Sinn Féin councillor Pat McGinn but is not a Sinn Féin member or representative.
