§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children and adults, respectively, in each region of the United Kingdom have appealed against an initial decision not to award them the attendance allowance, or to award it at only the lower rate, in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of those appeals in each regional was successful.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe information is not available in the form requested, but I shall be writing to the hon. Member.
§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action the 493W Attendance Allowance Board takes to ensure that the criteria for the allowance are interpreted uniformly throughout the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe Attendance Allowance Board is an independent statutory body, but I understand that its practice is to check a proportion of its delegates' decisions before promulgation. In addition, the Board gives general guidance to its delegates who also attend Board meetings to discuss individual cases. Decisions by the Board's delegates on reassessments and on reviews are concentrated in two centres.
The Attendance Allowance Board for Northern Ireland, set up under separate but similar legislation, is also an independent statutory body, but I understand that it has broadly similar arrangements.