Big freeze payouts top pounds 10m.

AROUND pounds 10million has been paid out in cold weather payments to Scots this winter, it was announced yesterday.

The payouts have been triggered by week-long sub-zero temperatures at 13 weather stations across the country.

The weekly payments have gone up this year from pounds 8.50 to pounds 25, and some areas have been so cold that payments have been triggered up to four times.

Around 315,000 elderly and vulnerable people have received the Government handouts.

The largest area to benefit was that covered by the Bishopton station in Renfrewshire, which has a population of 200,000.

Payouts were also made in Lanarkshire, Dundee, Fife, Tayside, Aberdeenshire, Perth, the Highlands, Fife, Moray, the Borders and Dumfriesshire.

Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said: "We are determined to do everything we can to help people make ends meet, particularly when they may be worried about their fuel bills."

Meanwhile, environmental campaigners yesterday said 2008 was Scotland's second-wettest year for almost a century.

The World Wildlife Fund said Met Office data showed that, since records began in 1914, only 1990 was wetter.

There was 1737mm (68 inches) of rainfall here last year.