§ 2.45 p.m.
§ Baroness PHILLIPSMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider extending the Improvement Grant Scheme in order to allow private individuals, constructing a house from scratch, to obtain the same grant for incorporating special provision for a disabled person as they could obtain under Section 56 of the Housing Act 1974 after the building was completed.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Birk)My Lords, this is currently under consideration, and I can only add at this stage that what is suggested would require new legislation. I will write to my noble friend as soon as we have completed our consideration.
§ Baroness PHILLIPSMy Lords, while thanking the Minister for that rather unsatisfactory reply —
§ Lord SHEPHERD: Again?
1022§ Baroness PHILLIPSYes, my Lords, again and again! Is the Minister aware that for a year a member of the Working Party on the integration of the disabled set up by the Government has been seeking to get a reply and has been unable to do so? Can my noble friend tell me what is the delay in dealing with this very straightforward matter?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, I do not think that my reply was at all unsatisfactory. I was telling my noble friend that it is under consideration and that it would probably require new legislation. I thought that the tone of the reply showed a good deal of sympathy for it. So far as the question of the letter is concerned, it is true that the National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases wrote, according to them, a letter on 2nd December 1975. I have had this investigated within my Department, and I am assured that unfortunately the letter did not arrive. We received a letter from the organisation on 2nd May which set out all the points raised by my noble friend and it is currently under discussion. I am very well aware that there is an anomaly here and we really are trying to do what we can about it.
§ The Earl of LAUDERDALEMy Lords, would the noble Baroness say whether the letter that did not arrive was mailed first class?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, as it did not arrive, I do not know.
§ Baroness PHILLIPSMy Lords will my noble friend speed up this matter? In addition to the matter of the letter, I understand that there have also been telephone calls to which the reply has been made that the matter is under consideration. May I ask that some urgency be attached to it?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, certainly I will do what I can, because I appreciate the point made by my noble friend.