HC Deb 23 December 1976 vol 923 c325W
Mrs. Millie Miller

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the annual amount of the fund allocated to constant attendance allowance; whether it is fully utilised or over-or under-subscribed; and what action is taken in the event of the fund being exhausted.

Mr. Alfred Morris

Attendance allowance is paid out of money provided by Parliament and not out of the National Insurance Fund. If the main Estimate approved by Parliament proves to be too low, a Supplementary Estimate is submitted in the light of available evidence on the number of awards. If the Estimate proves to be too high, the excess is not drawn from the Exchequer.

The main Estimate for the financial year ending in April 1977 was £115 million. This was increased by a Supplementary Estimate of £5 million in July which also took into account additional expenditure on attendance allowance arising from last month's uprating.