§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, as part of his campaign to reduce social security payments, he has issued any special instructions concerning more frequent reviews of people who are in receipt of mobility or attendance allowance; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek information on the number of people who have had their attendance allowance withdrawn or reduced from the higher rate to the lower rate in each of the past five years.
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§ Mr. RossiThe information is as follows:
Numbers of people whose attendance allowance has been withdrawn or reduced from higher rate to lower rate* 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 Allowance withdrawn† 2,732 3,975 4,914 5,067 6,343 Allowance reduced from higher rate to lower rate 3,232 2,800 2,785 2,429 3,027 * It is not possible to distinguish between cases where the allowance has been reduced or withdrawn as a result of a review during the currency of an award and cases where the award has expired and a further claim has resulted in payment at a lower rate or a decision that the conditions for the allowance are not satisfied. † The figures do not include cases where payment is withdrawn for a temporary period—for example, because the claimant is in hospital.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek information on the number of people who have had mobility allowance withdrawn following a review in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why reasons are not required to be given by a delegated medical practitioner acting on behalf of the Attendance Allowance Board when he decides that attendance allowance should be withdrawn or reduced; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossiReasons are required when the attendance allowance board or the delegated medical practitioner acting on its behalf reviews a determination and decides to revoke or reduce an existing certificate. When the board or delegated medical practitioner considers a renewal claim following expiry of a previous certificate, reasons are not required. However, a claimant who is dissatisfied with the outcome has the right to apply for a review on any ground within three months, and full reasons are given if the review determination is not more favourable.