§ Mr. Woodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many disabled drivers and passengers he estimates will benefit from the trebled expenditure on mobility planned by his Department; and how many benefited by such expenditure in each of the last three years.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisEstimates of cost have been based on 100,000 new beneficiaries when the phasing-in of mobility allowance is complete. Already over 43,000 people are receiving the allowance, in addition to the 44,000 people who still retain benefits under the old vehicle scheme. In the last three years of the old vehicle scheme the total numbers of beneficiaries, excluding war pensioners for whom there was and continues to be separate provision, were:
31st December 1973 37,000 31st December 1974 42,000 31st December 1975 48,000 The total number of disabled people now in receipt of outdoor mobility help from my Department is 87,000 compared with 48,000 at 31st December 1975.
§ Mr. Woodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements, additional to the mobility allowance, he proposes for the movement of severely disabled people between their home and their place of work.
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§ Mr. Alfred MorrisIn addition to the mobility allowance to which they may be entitled, certain severely disabled people can be assisted getting to and from work under the Employment Service Agency's fares-to-work scheme. Further information about this scheme has recently been given by my hon. Friends the Under-Secretaries of State for Employment in their Written Replies to a number of Questions from hon. Members: in particular, I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to my hon. Friend's replies to the hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 28th February, to the right hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Jenkin) on 28th March, to the hon. Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes) on 5th April and to the hon. Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker) on 6th April. We are keeping in close touch with Department of Employment Ministers about joint responsibilities and about the discussions which are proceeding with the Central Council for the Disabled.—[Vol. 927, c.42–3; Vol. 929, c. 52–3; Vol. 929, c. 416–17; Vol. 929, c. 547.]
§ Mr. Woodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will allow all those who, until the end of 1976, qualified for an invalid vehicle, the freedom to choose between such a vehicle and the mobility allowance.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe invalid vehicle scheme was superseded by the mobility allowance on 1st January 1976, though invalid tricycles continued to be available as an alternative to the allowance until July 1976. All those who qualified under the pre-1976 scheme will, once regulations have been made under the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1977 and the necessary timetable has been fixed, be able to switch, then or subsequently, to mobility allowance. If they so wish, they will be able to retain their tricycles, with replacements as required, so long as supplies last. I expect this to be at least until 1981 and possibly a good deal longer.
§ Mr. Woodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the progress of his discussions with the Central Council for the Disabled and other interested organisations on possible methods of enabling the 80W severely disabled to retain or achieve mobility.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisI am in close and constant touch with the Central Council for the Disabled. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State had a meeting earlier this month with its representatives to examine the possibility of further assistance to recipients of mobility allowance so as to enable them to use the allowance to purchase a suitable vehicle. The discussions are proceeding. It is too early to make any announcement.