§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider extending the five-week home responsibilities protection rule to a period which is commensurate with carers getting the support which they are known to require without losing safeguards to their own pensions.
§ Mr. NewtonI assume that the right hon. Member has in mind the provision whereby attendance allowance is withdrawn where a person remains in hospital for more than four weeks, with the result that the carer will not satisfy the conditions for eligibility for home responsibilities protection since a qualifying benefit is not in payment for a complete tax year. We have no plans at present to change these provisions.