§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has provided to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe concerning the action taken by the United Kingdom Government with regard to resolution AP(76)3 on the identification of disabled persons; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Rossi:Under the terms of resolution AP(76)3 on the identification of disabled persons, the United Kingdom is invited every five years to keep the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe fully informed of action taken with regard to the resolution. In 1979 the United Kingdom responded to a questionnaire on the subject covering the years 1974 to 1979.
The responses from the United Kingdom and other member States were co-ordinated by the committee of experts for information systems on impaired, disabled and handicapped people. At its fourth meeting in 1981. under the chairmanship of the United Kingdom delegate, the committee produced a draft consolidated report covering the period 1974 to 1981. This was adopted by the Committee of Ministers in December 1981 and published by the Council of Europe in early 1982 as "Information Systems on Impaired, Disabled and Handicapped People".
The Committee will meet again in early 1983 to discuss further developments but a request for information under resolution AP(76)3 is not expected until 1984.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department's doctors examining disabled people for one benefit are encouraged to advise them about other benefits to which they may be entitled; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Rossi:This aspect is being considered as part of our examination of ways of improving the system whereby a disabled person claiming one benefit is made aware of other benefits for which he or she may be eligible.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received on the administration of benefits for disabled people: what consideration he has given to introducing legislation to harmonise and streamline the system; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Rossi:We have received representations from a number of organisations representing disabled people for the rationalisation of the administration of the various disability benefits. We are, as part of a continuing process, studying ways of providing an improved system of administering the benefits. The discussions with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and members of the medical profession to which I referred in my reply of 5 July to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam)—[Vol. 27, c. 23–24]—have made a valuable contribution to these studies.