HC Deb 07 February 1978 vol 943 cc1212-4
2. Mrs. Joyce Butler

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he has had with old people's welfare organisations about the difficulties experienced by those disabled people who are unable to use public transport and who no longer receive a mobility allowance when they reach retiring age; what action he is proposing to take to meet their needs; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ennals

It will be 1980 before anyone ceases to receive mobility allowance on reaching pensionable age. I am of course aware of the concern of organisations representing the elderly, although I have received no recent representations from them on this point.

To remove the upper age limits for mobility allowance would cost around £260 million a year extra on the basis of an allowance of £10 a week. We cannot at present contemplate expenditure of that kind but our record shows our practical concern to improve the well-being of the elderly disabled.

Mrs. Butler

Will my right hon. Friend do his utmost to see that more resources are made available, because this will become a growing problem if more and more elderly people are to be virtually marooned in their homes without a mobility allowance and cut off from social contact at a time when they need it most? Will he see what he can do between now and 1980? It is a long time.

Mr. Ennals

There has been a great increase in the amount of resources made available by the Government to assist the disabled. When the £10 mobility allowance is introduced in July we shall have mutiplied five times the amount provided by the predecessor Government. To extend the allowance to elderly people would add enormously to the bill. We shall consider this, together with other pressures for increased public expenditure.

Mr. Boscawen

Surely, the raising of the age at which the mobility allowance is payable after retirement, namely, one year, two years or three years, at a gradual rate, would not cost a great deal of money? It is a very rough justice when we consider that people are able to continue with their invalid trikes after the age of retirement but are not able to receive the mobility allowance.

Mr. Ennals

That is one more example of pressure from the Conservative Party for more public expenditure at a time when it is always urging that we should reduce public expenditure.

We are still phasing in so that all eligible people will be able to receive it until the end of 1979—the new mobility allowance. We shall then look at other ways of improving this benefit and its distribution.

Mr. Bowden

When will the Secretary of State be able to reply to the representations made by BLESMA on the mobility allowance? Will he assure the House that the war disabled will continue to receive special treatment?

Mr. Ennals

My hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for the disabled is already in touch with BLESMA on this question.