§ Mr. Hannamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many invalid vehicles or cars have been withdrawn from disabled people on the grounds that they are no longer in employment in each year since 1972; if she will now suspend all such withdrawals; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe following figures, for England, include vehicles withdrawn or not renlaced:
190W
1972 1973 1974 1975 Three-wheelers 7 16 15 28 Cars 3 2 3 4 Under the discretionary rules of the vehicle scheme, when a person was ineligible for a vehicle unless it was needed to get to work, eligibility necessarily ceased if employment ceased. Allowing ineligible people to have vehicles would have been unfair to the many people who, despite at least equal disabilities, had never qualified for help.
The hon. Member will appreciate that under our new mobility allowance scheme, with its conditions of eligibility set out in the Act and Regulations, and with substantial appeal rights, the possibility of withdrawal of benefit because of loss of employment will not arise.