§ Mr. EvennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response he has received to his proposals for helping disabled people who are not able to work full time.
§ Mr. ScottWe have sent copies of "The Way Ahead: Benefits for Disabled People" (Cm. 917) to a wide range of disability organisations and other interested bodies inviting their comments on our proposals to improve the balance and structure of social security help for people with disabilities. We have now received comments from seven organisations and six individuals on our proposals to introduce a disability employment credit for people who are partially capable of work. The Social Security Advisory Committee has also written to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State describing our proposals as a significant improvement to the system of benefits for disabled people. The committee particularly welcomed the introduction of a disability employment credit.
§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve disability benefits in order to give assistance with communication costs.
§ Mr. ScottThe Command Paper "The Way Ahead: Benefits for Disabled People" published on 10 January contains several proposals that will give financial help to disabled people with communication costs. The introduction of an age-related addition for severe disablement allowance will assist many disabled people who have communication needs who have been disabled early in life or at birth. People with communication needs will be eligible for the new disability allowance in the same way as other disabled people. The introduction of a disability employment credit will also help people with communication needs who are partially capable of work. In addition, people who are both deaf and blind will, from April of this year, be able to receive mobility allowance at a rate of £26.25 per week.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the additional numbers of(a) disabled people aged 60 to 79 years and (b) people aged 80-plus years who became entitled to and were awarded (i) income support and (ii) housing benefit as a result of the increases to the premiums introduced in October 1989.
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§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardI refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 23 February at column937.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of(a) single men, (b) married men, (c) single women and (d) married women who will qualify for each rate of the proposed addition to severe disablement allowance and the number in each category who will not qualify for any addition.
§ Mr. ScottThe available estimates are in the table:
Men Married women Single women Higher rate 80,000 15,000 65,000 Middle rate 10,000 25,000 15,000 Lower rate 10,000 25,000 10,000 No addition 2,500 — —