§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the result of his reconsideration of the contribution conditions for the attendance allowance proposed in the National Superannuation and Social Insurance Bill.
§ Mr. Ennals:I am glad to announce that the Government have decided to make the attendance allowance an Exchequer-financed benefit subject, apart from the conditions about need for attendance, only to such residence conditions as may be prescribed. This will bring into entitlement severely disabled people who would not have qualified under the earlier proposals.
There will thus no longer be any need for a corresponding allowance under the supplementary benefits scheme, though supplementary benefit amending regulations will be made in due course so as to ensure that anyone receiving supplementary benefit who is awarded the allowance will still benefit from it.