HC Deb 31 January 1984 vol 53 cc183-4W
Mr. Janner

asked the Secretary of State for the Social Services whether he will take steps to enable potential claimants under the severe disablement allowance scheme to discover whether or not claimants with similar disabilities have passed the 80 per cent. disability test.

Mr. Newton

Certain injuries have their degree of disablement prescribed in regulations. We also propose to provide in regulations that the adjudication officer can dispense with a reference to a medical board in prescribed circumstances where the existing evidence is such that the claimant can be accepted as 80 per cent. disabled—for example where he is registered blind or is receiving attendance allowance. Apart from these, however, the range and degree of disabilities vary so widely that any advice in the individual case would be misleading.

Mr. Janner

asked the Secretary of State for the Social Services whether he is satisfied that the disability test will not act as a disincentive to claimants under the severe disablement allowance scheme.

Mr. Newton

Yes. The test should be a considerable improvement on the household duties test in this respect.