§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many disabled people were in possession of invalid tricycles and other vehicles from his Department at the latest date for which he has figures; and what were the comparable figures for the same date in each of the preceding six years.
§ Mr. RossiThe information is as follows:
Powered vehicles on issue to disable people at 31 December Three Motor cars Motor cars Wheelers NHS clients war Pensioners 1981 9,970 1,987 5,083 1980 11,300 2,272 5,550 1979 12,620 2,688 5,934 1978 14,405 3,129 6,279 1977 16,458 3,400 6,454 1976 18,147 3,637 6,677 1975 18,722 3,388 6,671 Notes:
- i. The invalid three-wheeler and NHS car schemes were replaced by mobility allowance with effect from 1 January 1976.
- ii. The motor car scheme for war pensioners continues to operate.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many disabled people who drive his Department's invalid tricycles and who could opt instead for the mobility allowance are losing, because they have retained their tricycles, art entitlement to the higher heating allowance which is paid to people who receive supplementary benefit and either the mobility allowance or attendance allowances.
§ Mr. RossiThere are estimated to be about 9,000 disabled people still driving the Department's invalid tricycles of whom about a third are thought to be in receipt of supplementary benefit. Virtually all of them would qualify for mobility allowance, and thereby for the higher rate of the supplementary benefit heating addition, if they opted to give up their tricycles. Most of those on supplementary benefit are already likely to be in receipt of the lower rate of heating addition because of chronic ill-health or restricted mobility and some will already be receiving the higher rate because of their illness or disability.