§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans she has to review the criteria for assessing entitlement to war pensioners' mobility supplement and constant attendance allowance for war disablement pensioners suffering from post-viral fatigue syndrome; [30242]
(2) what percentage of Gulf War veterans awarded war disablement pensions due to post-viral fatigue syndrome have (a) applied for war pensions' mobility supplement and constant attendance allowance and (b) been awarded these benefits since 1992; [30241]
(3) what medical guidance her Department has given to the War Pensions Agency in respect of the condition post-viral fatigue syndrome for assessing entitlement to (i) war disablement pensions, (ii) war pensioners' mobility supplement and (iii) constant attendance allowance. [30243]
§ Mr. DenhamThe Government fully recognise the considerable debt of gratitude owed to all those who have been disabled as a result of service in the Armed Forces.
Under the Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions Order 1983, a war pension may be awarded for any disablement due to, or aggravated by, any service in the armed forces of the Crown. Awards are not made for a prescribed list of diagnoses or conditions but rather cases are considered on their individual merits within the relevant law. The Scheme includes a range of supplementary allowances aimed at those most seriously disabled. Where any disablement assessed at not less than 40 per cent. is such as to render the war pensioner unable to walk or restricts 179W severely his ability to do so, an award of Mobility Supplement may be made. Similarly, where the war pensioner's disablement is assessed at not less than 80 per cent. and is such that personal attendance on him is necessary, an award of Constant Attendance Allowance may be awarded.
By 31 January 1998, 1,938 claims for a War Disablement Pension had been received from Gulf War veterans. So far 1,301 awards have been made in respect of a wide variety of conditions but only one has been made in respect of post viral fatigue syndrome. A claim for War Pensions' Mobility Supplement and Constant Attendance Allowance was rejected as not meeting the criteria for an award.
No medical guidance on entitlement or eligibility for War Disablement Pension, War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement or Constant Attendance Allowance specific to the diagnosis post viral fatigue syndrome has been issued to War Pensions Agency medical advisers. Guidance is, however, available on chronic fatigue syndrome of which post viral fatigue syndrome is a recognised variant. The diagnosis chronic fatigue syndrome is used where certain defined diagnostic criteria known as the Fukuda criteria are met. Medical advisers are trained to consider any disablement, physical or mental and to make decisions on the facts of the individual case and within the relevant law on entitlement and all other war pensions issues.
There are no plans to review the criteria for assessing War Pensions' Mobility Supplement or Constant Attendance Allowance for war pensioners suffering from post viral fatigue syndrome.