§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications for mobility allowance have been made by residents of Rushcliffe; how many awards have been made; how many of the unsuccessful applicants have appealed; and how many of the appeals have been successful.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisI regret that this information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Cumulative statistics have been kept since the introduction of the mobility allowance scheme in January 1976 on a 623W regional basis for awards and disallowances and on a national basis for claims and appeals. The latest available information for the East Midlands and East Anglia region—in which Rushcliffe is situated—is that there are 6,576 current awards and 3,220 disallowances. On a national basis, about 111,000 claims have been decided since the scheme began, with about 73,000 awards-65 per cent. Of nearly 5,700 appeals heard by medical boards and medical appeal tribunals throughout the country, some 1,600–28 per cent.—were successful.