§ Mr. Hannamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions his Department's officials have concerning the possible reclassification of disabled drivers awarded a car or tricycle under category 3, when they lose employment.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisExisting rights under the old scheme have been preserved; to create new rights under that618W scheme would be inconsistent with the purposes of the new scheme, but anyone under pension age who could have qualified under the old categories 1 or 2 is likely to have good grounds for applying for mobility allowance or a tricycle under the new scheme, and my officials have been instructed to advise the people concerned to apply for mobility allowance at the appropriate time.
§ Mr. Hannamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether an individual, who qualified under category 3 for an invalid tricycle, loses employment and would qualify for a mobility allowance but for the fact that his age group has not yet been phased in, will have his tricycle removed until the phasing in of his age group starts; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisNot if, as he is entitled to do, he has already applied under the new scheme. As our leaflet N 211 explains, anyone under pension age who wants a tricycle rather than Mobility Allowance can apply at any time, without waiting for his age group to be phased in. Where the individual already has a tricycle under category 3 of the old scheme, he is normally allowed to retain it, even if his employment has ceased, until the new claim is decided.