Monday, May 15, 2006
The indignity of it all
FibDem Pensions Spokesman, Lord Oakeshott has been waxing forth that half of all pensioners face the indignity of means testing.
Hang on a minute, what's this? Figures show 218,429 pensioners across Scotland are missing out on benefits averaging £540 a year.
And when David Davidson MSP asked the Scottish Executive on 9 September 2005 if it had any plans to introduce a deferred payment scheme in respect of council tax for pensioners he was told they had none.
He was also advised that for those on lower incomes, a comprehensive council tax benefit system is available.
That'll be the "indignity" of means tested council tax benefit according to the Minister who didn't want to defer payments then? Yes, a FibDem one at that. George Lyon MSP.
Hang on a minute, what's this? Figures show 218,429 pensioners across Scotland are missing out on benefits averaging £540 a year.
And when David Davidson MSP asked the Scottish Executive on 9 September 2005 if it had any plans to introduce a deferred payment scheme in respect of council tax for pensioners he was told they had none.
He was also advised that for those on lower incomes, a comprehensive council tax benefit system is available.
That'll be the "indignity" of means tested council tax benefit according to the Minister who didn't want to defer payments then? Yes, a FibDem one at that. George Lyon MSP.
LYON: Undignified
