ROYAL BRITISH LEGION CAMPAIGN: RETURN TO RATIONING?

Early day motion 2172, tabled 6 October 2008 by Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 42 members.

That this House acknowledges the latest campaign by The Royal British Legion entitled `Return to Rationing?' which tackles issues that are leading older members of the UK's ex-Service community into a life of poverty; notes that it is estimated that there are more than 2.5 million pensioners living on an income that is considered too low to maintain a healthy lifestyle, with Government figures showing that this number is increasing by hundreds of thousands every year; and calls on the Government to support the aims of the campaign, which is being promoted in collaboration with the charity Age Concern, to give more older people access to the financial benefits that they are entitled to, an automatic payment system for council tax benefit, making a full disregard of war pension income a statutory requirement, distributing a £50 fuel voucher to those aged over 70 and in receipt of pension credit and doubling the personal expense allowance for elderly care home residents.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 18, Labour 14, DUP 4, Conservative 2, Independent 2, Plaid Cymru 1, UUP 1.