§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance has been given by the National Insurance Commissioner, following judgments on awards of mobility allowance, on the interpretation of the criterion "virtually unable to walk"; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisThe National Insurance Commissioner has expressed the view in recent cases which came before him that the phrase "virtually unable to walk" means
unable to walk to any appreciable extent or practically unable to walk".He has also commented thatin determining whether a person is virtually unable to walk, one should take into account such matters as whether the person can only walk very slowly, or with pain, or difficulty, or instability, or grotesqueness of gait, and so on.We are in the process of seeking further guidance from the Commissioner in appropriate cases.