§ 18. Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of National Insurance if he is aware that, if even with the recent increases, patients in hospital in receipt of blind pensions and other State allowances have difficulty in making their personal allowance cover the cost of personal goods; that payments vary widely in amounts in various areas; and whether he will take action to improve these allowances and bring about uniformity of payment on the highest rate.
§ The Minister of National Insurance (Mr. Osbert Peake)The hon. Member will by now have received my letter of 3rd November explaining that these allowances have recently been increased on a uniform basis in accordance with the advice of the National Insurance Advisory Committee.
§ Mr. LewisI appreciate the Minister's reply, but from my letter he will see that these poor people who are inmates of hospitals are still unable to purchase their necessities, even with the increased allowances, and that varying amounts are paid according to the particular area in which the inmate is in hospital. Can he get a co-ordinated scheme to ensure that these inmates get enough money to buy their personal necessities?
§ Mr. PeakeThe general rule is that these allowances have been increased from the 5s. rate, at which they stood from 1948 to 1951. to a uniform rate of 6s. 6d.—that is, a 30 per cent. increase. If the hon. Member knows of any area where these rules are not being observed, perhaps he would be good enough to let me know.
§ Mr. LewisThe Minister will know that some councils are in the position of giving additional amounts because 6s. 6d. is not adequate to buy the personal necessities of many of these people. What I am asking is whether the right hon. 575 Gentleman can get adopted as a national minimum the higher rate that is now paid by many authorities?
§ Mr. PeakeI am not aware of any higher rates of payment. Perhaps the hon. Member will send me particulars of any case which he knows.