§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will hold an inquiry into the refusal by the Middlesex hospital of assistance to a person who collapsed in the street, details of which have been supplied to him; and what general advice his Department
SCOTLAND Attendance allowance Mobility allowances* Numbers in first quarter of 1979 1980 1979 1980 Claims received … … 2,837 3,114 — — Decisions made … … 2,298 3,157 1,740 1,680 Rejections … … … 917 1,088 570 380 * Estimated figures.
§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any directive has been given since May 1979 to his Department's staff concerning first-time applications for attendance allowance and mobility allowance; and whether he will publish the contents of any such directive.
§ Mr. PrenticeClaims for attendance allowance and mobility allowance are decided by independent authorities appointed under the Social Security Act and I have no power to direct them in the interpretation of the law.
Orders (SI 1979 No. 1030 (c28) and SI 1979 No. 1031 (c 29)) were, however, made in August 1979 which completed the phasing in of mobility allowance and entitled men and women aged 60 to 65 to claim the allowance for the first time from November 1979.
92Wgives to hospitals regarding such requests for medical assistance.
§ Dr. VaughanI will write to my hon. Friend after I have made inquiries into this.