HC Deb 12 January 1981 vol 996 cc440-1W
Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in calculating entitlement to supplementary benefit, calculations of attendance allowance will be counted as entitlement in all circumstances, regardless of what the claimant intends to use the money for.

Mr. Patrick Jenkin

The Supplementary Benefit (Resources) Regulations provide that payments of attendance allowance shall be disregarded in calculating a person's income for supplementary pension and supplementary allowance. If the hon. Member has a particular point in mind about the operation of this rule, I shall be pleased to look into it.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many claims for attendance allowance in 1979 took less than six months, six to nine months, nine to 12 months and 12 to 15 months before initial payment was made;

(2) what was the total number of claims foe attendance allowance in 1979; and how many appeals took less than six months, six to nine months, nine to 12 months, 12 to 15 months, 15 to 18 months and 18 to 21 months before a decision was made;

(3) how many payments of arrears of (a) attendance allowance and (b) mobility allowance in each of the following categories were made in 1979–80; less than £50, £50 to £100, £101 to £200, £201 to £300, £301 to £400, £401 to £500, £501 to £600, £601 to £700, £701 to £800, £801 to £900, £901 to £1,000 and more than £1,000.

Mrs. Chalker

The total number of claims for attendance allowance decided in 1979 was 128,274. The other information requested is not available.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of appeals in respect of attendance allowance in 1979; and, of these appeals, what percentage was found in favour of the claimant.

Mrs. Chalker

148 and 18 per cent. respectively. These figures relate to non-medical questions. Where the claimant wants to challenge the decision on a medical aspect, this is dealt with by way of review by the Attendance Allowance Board. I regret that equivalent information about such reviews is not available.