§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will expand on the description of claimants who have no recent links with the United Kingdom given in paragraph 2.87 of Cmnd. 9518;
(2) whether the presence test mentioned in paragraph 2.87 of the Green Paper, "Reform of Social Security", Cmnd. 9518, will exclude claimants who have gone abroad for long periods to visit or care for relatives;
(3) whether the presence test mentioned in paragraph 2.87 of the Green Paper, "Reform of Social Security", Cmnd. 9518, will include a reference to a claimant's immigration status.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 11 July 1985, c. 535]: We are considering the details of the proposed presence test. In doing so we shall have regard to the characteristics of the tests which operate already for 424W benefits such as child benefit, attendance allowance and mobility allowance, and how these tests apply to particular groups of beneficiaries.