§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the reasons for paying board and lodging allowance at a rate of £247.50 per week from August 1986 to the British Home and Hospital for Incurables for the care of a stroke victim under the age of 65 years and 187.50 per week for a stroke victim over the age of 65 years.
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§ Mr. NewtonYounger physically disabled people, some of whom may be multiply handicapped and very young, generally have a wider variety of care needs and thus higher costs than people whose disability occurs later in life. The maximum amount of supplementary benefit which may be paid to physically disabled people in nursing homes, whose disability arose under pension age, has therefore been set at a higher level (currently £230 and from 28 July £247.50 for a nursing home in the Greater London area) than the maximum amount for elderly people. As I have made clear to the House on a number of occasions, we are looking at whether practicable arrangements allowing greater flexibility can be devised.