HC Deb 11 June 1979 vol 968 cc103-4W
Mr. Tom Benyon

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether blind people will be included in the provisions of the mobility allowance.

Mr. Prentice

In studying the best way to provide a coherent system of cash benefits to help disabled people, I shall have the mobility and other needs of blind people in mind. Progress must, however, be determined by the strength of the economy.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many handicapped children, ineligible for mobility allowance by reason of their age, have been awarded grants for mobility from the family fund in the past 12 months for which figures are available.

Mr. Prentice

In 1978 the family fund gave some kind of help with transport to 319 children born between 1973 and 1976 and unable to walk. These children might have been eligible for mobility

Dr. Vaughan

Following are the clinics in operation at St. Nicholas hospital, Plumstead, as at 1 January 1978. Those which have been or are to be discontinued are numbered and the reasons set out in the footnotes below:

allowance. In addition, 80 families with children born in the same period, who had difficulty in walking, were given help with transport. Some of these might also have been eligible for mobility allowance.