§ Mr. Bruceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the annual cost of constant attendance allowances for the three most recent years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. NewtonI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 18 March at column380.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-Amoryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans for extending the opportunity of payment by credit transfer to recipients of attendance allowance.
§ Mr. WhitneyWhen attendance allowance is paid with retirement pension or widow's benefit payments direct into a bank or building society account by credit transfer are already available. From June, all new claimants for attendance allowance will be able to choose to have their benefit paid by credit transfer. During the 20 weeks from the end of June 1985 we shall write to existing beneficiaries paid by the attendance allowance unit at Blackpool to explain that the credit transfer method of payment is now available to them and to ask whether they wish to change to it. Those who do not wish to switch need do nothing; their present payment arrangements will continue unchanged.