§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will now consider updating the £10,000 interim payment under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 to take account of rises in the cost of living.
§ The Prime MinisterWe have no present intention to do so. We believe that the way forward is to provide improvements for the disabled generally when resources become available.
§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Prime Minister what has been the number of claims, both total and successful, brought under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 in Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.
§ The Prime MinisterThe information available is as follows:
Number of decisions Awards Persons living in Scotland 163 *49 Persons living in the rest of United Kingdom 2,549 664 * Includes 23 awards made by Edinburgh vaccine damage medical tribunal which deals with Scotland and Northumbria. A breakdown of the Edinburgh tribunal awards by residence of the claimant is not readily available.
§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Prime Minister in how many instances a successful applicant for damages under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 has been refused supplementary benefit.
§ The Prime MinisterInformation about the number of claimants refused supplementary benefit because of a vaccine damage payment could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost, but some 150 supplementary benefit claims have been made by persons who have received such a payment.