§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of rising motoring costs through increases in charges for tyres, petrol and running costs, which affect disabled people benefiting from the motability scheme, if he will dedicate part of the increased motability allowances to those participating in the scheme.
§ Mr. PrenticeMotability is an independent organisation providing cars by leasing or hire purchase to mobilty allowance 239W beneficiaries. The mobility allowance is used to finance the lease or purchase and the level of payment required is entirely a matter for Motability to determine. In hire purchase agreements future increases of mobility allowance are retained by the beneficiary. This is not so in leasing agreements. It would not be appropriate for the Department to dedicate any part of the allowance to any particular costs incurred by those participating in the Motability leasing scheme. As I have said, Motability is an independent organisation.