§ Mr. William PowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the improvements made by his Department in provision for the disabled since May 1979.
287W
§ Mr. ScottSince 1979 the Department has made a large number of improvements in benefit provision for disabled people. These have been aimed to provide a comprehensive and coherent system of disability benefits which not only gives priority for extra help to those disabled early in life, who have lost the opportunity to earn and save, but also promotes independence and integration.
In that time spending on benefits for long-term sick and disabled people has increased by more than 155 per cent. in real terms to £12.25 billion. On top of this increased expenditure two new disability benefits disability living allowance and disability working allowance were introduced in April 1992.
The other main improvements have been as follows: