§ Mr. Andersonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance he proposes to give to doctors to ensure a more uniform response to be given to applications for attendance allowance in the case of profoundly deaf children.
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§ Mr. Alfred MorrisIt would not be appropriate for my right hon. Friend to issue such advice. Responsibility for determining entitlement to attendance allowance is, under the Social Security Act 1975, entirely a matter for the attendance allowance board, which is independent of my Department. Entitlement to the allowance depends on the amount of attention the child needs in connection with bodily functions or the amount of supervision it requires to avoid substantial danger to himself or others. I understand that when considering these requirements in relation to deaf children the board takes into account numerous factors such as the presence of other disabling conditions, whether or not these are related to his or her deafness, how the child has adapted to the handicap, the child's response to training, his or her age and, in the case of deafness acquired subsequent to birth, the length of time since onset.