§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much it would cost at 1990–91 prices to extend disability benefit to all persons with a disability assessed at 40 per cent. or more.
§ Mr. ScottThere is a range of benefits available to disabled people of which only war pensions and industrial injuries disablement benefits are assessed according to a percentage of disability. Qualification for severe disablement allowance at age 20 or over depends on both incapacity for work and assessment as 80 per cent. disabled. As part of our review of disability benefits we considered whether a comprehensive disability income based on the level of a person's disability could replace the present structure of benefits. We concluded that the same principles could more effectively be implemented by changes which establish a more coherent system of financial help by building on the existing benefits, as set out in "The Way Ahead: Benefits for Disabled People" (Cmd. 917).