§ 16. Dr. Edmund Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what financial help is available to those disabled persons who are able to drive their own cars but who are too old to apply for mobility allowance, and whose need for transport on grounds of disability has arisen since 1st January 1976.
Mr. Alfred MorisSo far priority has been given to helping disabled children and people of working age, whether or not they are able to drive. We shall keep in mind all suggestions for extending mobility help to disabled people generally.
For pensioners, our immediate priority has been to increase the level of retirement pensions. We have done this five times since we took office in 1974. A further increase takes effect next week. As I know my hon. Friend appreciates, we have committed very substantial resources to benefits and services for disabled people.
§ 32. Mr. Newtonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further proposals he has to help disabled people.
§ 69. Mr. Ioan Evansasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further measures are proposed to extend benefits for the disabled.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisWe hope to make an announcement on further help for disabled people in the very near future.
§ 43. Mr. Rifkindasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the help given to disabled people.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisNo, but we have made substantial progress in helping disabled people since we took office. We have introduced the mobility allowance, the invalid care allowance and the non-contributory invalidity pension and its extension to housewives. Expenditure on cash benefits for the disabled has increased in real terms by over £387 million since we took office. I recognize 99W that there is much more which could be done, but further progress must be limited by the availability of resources.
§ 62. Sir J. Langford-Holtasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with mobility assistance to disabled people.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisSince taking office in 1974 we have improved mobility help for disabled people very considerably in terms of both cash and scope. We have raised spending on all forms of mobility help from £13 million a year in the financial year 1974–1975 to about £65 million in the current financial year. Our planned expenditure will exceed £80 million by 1980–1981. Large numbers of disabled who cannot drive themselves, including children, have been given mobility help for the first time ever. Moreover, through the setting up of Motability at our suggestion, cars are now within the reach of more disabled people, drivers and non-drivers alike, than ever before. We do fully recognise, of course, that there is still much more to do further to improve the mobility of disabled people.