§ Mr. Mark Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many amputees were refused mobility allowance in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. MajorI regret that records are not maintained of the nature of the disability of unsuccessful mobility allowance claimants.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations the Government have received from (a) voluntary and (b) statutory organisations concerning the difficulties being experienced by disabled people in proving eligibility for mobility allowance.
§ Mr. MajorWe have not received any recent representations from statutory organisations. We regularly receive representations from voluntary organisations acting on behalf of claimants who are appealing against decisions of the independent adjudicating authorities, and about extending the eligibility criteria for the allowance.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what inforniation he has on (a) the cause and (b) the type of disability of people who (i) apply for, (ii) are in receipt of or (iii) are refused mobility allowance;
221W(2) how many people in receipt of mobility allowance are (a) mentally handicapped, (b) mentally disturbed or (c) blind with other physical disability.
§ Mr. MajorI regret that information is not available in the form requested. The information which is available relates to recipients of the allowance and, at 7 November, was as follows:
Number Neoplasms 9,193 Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases 3,259 Diseases of blood and blood forming organs 1,037 Diseases of the central nervous system 131,476 Diseases of the circulatory system 62,317 Diseases of the respiratory system 42,278 Diseases of bones and organs of movement 142,510 Congenial malformations 14,472 Amputations 7,487 Diseases of digestive system; genito-urinary system; skin and cellular tissue 13,168 Total 427,197 In addition, there were 25,403 recipients of the allowance who were formerly beneficiaries of the invalid vehicle scheme, but the nature of their disability is not recorded.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people (a) are in receipt of mobility allowance or (b) have applied unsuccessfully for mobility allowance in each of the last two years.
§ Mr. MajorThe number of people in receipt of mobility allowance as at 7 November 1986 was 452,000. In the year up to that date there were 47,300 unsuccessful claims to the allowance. The corresponding figure for the year from November 1984 to November 1985 was 37,600.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on mobility allowance in the light of the decision in the House of Lords in the case of Christine Lees and the tribunal of Commissioners' decision, reference CM/173/1985.
§ Mr. MajorWe believe that these decisions resolve many of the difficulties which have emerged in recent years over the interpretation of the qualifying conditions for the allowance. In particular, the tribunal of Commissioners decision CM/173/85 endorsed the principles laid down in an earlier decision of a Social Security Commissioner which led to amendment of the regulations in 1979, and provides further guidance about the application of these principles. We appreciate that there are some disabled people with mobility problems who do not come within the scope of the allowance, but this does not stem from these decisions as it is clear that the qualifying criteria embodied in the 1979 amendment regulations were not intended to bring such people within the scope of the allowance.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to publish new guidelines for medical boards on mobility allowance.
§ Mr. MajorNew guidance, including information on changes arising from the introduction of common provisions for adjudication under the Social Security Act 1986 and regulations, will be issued to medical boards early next year.