§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the letter sent to the Minister for the Disabled on 15 December by the chairman of the Joint Committee for the Disabled about increases in the mobility allowance and in motoring costs from 1978 to 1984, together with his reply.
§ Mr. NewtonThe letters are as follows
I enclose a printout detailing the cost of motoring from 1978 to 1984 and the value of the mobility allowance over the same year.As you will see, the "index" value of MobA (1978 = 100) has risen—as you rightly stated at the DIG/MENCAP conference—to 200 in 1984. According to our calculations, however, the "index" of motoring costs has risen from 100 to 206 over the same period. The motoring costs are all based on a selection of the AA cost items and, as you will also see, the value of the mobility allowance kept up well with the cost of motoring until April 1982. Since then the cost has gone ahead of the value of the mobility allowance.We trust that this trend will be handsomely reversed at the next uprating.Peter Large
Thank you for your letter of 15 December enclosing a comparison of the increases in mobility allowance and motoring costs from 1978 to 1984.Whilst I note the results of this comparison, I must point out that the rate of mobility allowance has never been related directly to the expenses of running a car. The allowance is intended to be a contribution towards the additional costs which severely disabled people incur in getting out and about but there is no requirement to have the use of a motor vehicle. Indeed an important part of the purpose of moving from the provision of61Wvehicles to the payment of a cash allowance was to extend help to those unable to use a vehicle of their own; and beneficiaries can spend the money in any way they wish.Under the provisions of the Social Security Act 1975, the Secretary of State for Social Services is required to consider each year whether the rate of mobility allowance should be increased having regard to the national economic situation as a whole, the general standard of living, any changes in taxation which directly affect the cost of motoring for persons in receipt of mobility allowance and such other matters as he thinks relevant, he is also required to lay a statement before Parliament setting out his conclusions and the reasons for them.Mobility allowance has received very favourable treatment under this Government. The increase to £20 a week from last November means that it has risen 100 per cent, in cash terms since July 1978. This compares with an increase in the Retail
Joint committee on mobility for the disabled Motoring costs and MobA 1978–84 1978 April 1979 April 1979 June 1980 April 1981 April 1982 April 1983 April 1984 April Standing charges (£) Insurance 134.80 155.00 155.00 185.40 228.40 239.85 241.20 255.70 Depreciation 341.26 392.59 418.03 480.96 505.37 601.66 653.60 697.56 Subscription 11.50 12.50 12.50 15.00 17.50 30.00 33.00 35.00 Total 487.56 560.09 585.53 681.36 751.27 871.51 927.80 988.26 Cost/mile in pence (10,000 miles) 4.8756 5.6009 5.8553 6.8136 7.5127 8.7151 9.278 9.8826 Running costs/mile (pence) Petrol 2.247 2.737 3.169 3.857 4.286 4.619 4.738 4.929 Oil 0.149 0.171 0.171 0.234 0.285 0.301 0.313 0.327 Tyres 0.315 0.334 0.356 0.423 0.457 0.528 0.516 0.573 Servicing 0.499 0.566 0.603 0.526 0.589 0.642 0.604 0.656 Repairs and replacements 1.813 2.085 2.22 2.533 2.837 3.092 3.732 4.053 Total 5.023 5.893 6.519 7.573 8.454 9.182 9.903 10.538 Total cost/mile (pence) Standing charges 4.8756 5.6009 5.8553 6.8136 7.5127 8.7151 9.278 9.8826 Running charges 5.023 5.893 6.519 7.573 8.454 9.182 9.903 10.538 Total 9.8986 11.4939 12.3743 14.3866 15.9667 17.8971 19.181 20.4206 MobA rate (£) * 10 12 12 14.5 16.5 18.3 19 20 Index (charges) (£) 100 116.1164 125.0106 145.3397 161.3026 180.8044 193.7749 206.2979 Index (MobA rate) † 100 120 120 145 165 183 190 200 * Index of the cost of motoring with 1978 = 100. † Index of the mobility allowance, 1978 = 100. The costs have been taken from AA schedule of estimated standing and running costs for a car with an engine capacity of 1,001–1,500 cc.
The car licence and garage/parking have been omitted because disabled motorists in receipt of the mobility allowance are exempted from such charges.
The charges for interest on capital have also been omitted as this is a somewhat controversial item and not one that would directly affect many disabled people.
§ Mr. Alex Carlileasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any proposals for relaxing the requirements to be met by applicants for mobility allowance; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonWe have no such proposals.