10. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in connection with the petrol allowance to disabled and invalid persons, he will give the approximate total amount of petrol granted in respect of the period 1st January, 1950, to 30th March, 1950; and if the Government will now consider increasing the allowance to ease the burden which many of these people are experiencing.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerThe petrol allowances made to disabled persons and invalids 832 vary according to the degree of disability of the applicant. They may be combined with allowances issued for business or other purposes. No separate record is kept of the coupons issued to disabled persons and to invalids and I regret, therefore, that I am unable to give the estimate for which the hon. Member has asked. I have no evidence of a need for any general increase in these allowances; but if the hon. Member has such evidence, I shall be glad to consider it, and if he will give me information about any cases of hardship of which he is aware, I will look into them at once.
Mr. De la BèreIs the Minister aware that I have from his Midland regional office a file nearly a foot deep dealing with applications from disabled persons in the South Worcester area? Why is it that the Government are so unsympathetic and so lacking in understanding?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI think that the disabled persons, including disabled ex-Service men, have been dealt with very sympathetically, indeed generously. I have already said that if the hon. Member will send me the case he has in mind, I will look into it.