§ Mr. McCrindleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to ensure that the severe disablement allowance complies with the European Community directive on sex discrimination; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottThe eligibility criteria for severe disablement allowance were devised in accordance with legal advice to ensure that they complied with EC directive 79/7 on equal treatment in social security.
A judgment by the European Court of Justice in 1987 showed however that there had been an unsuspected infringement of the directive affecting a limited group of married women who claimed severe disablement allowance during the transitional period, on the basis of entitlement to the former benefit, non-contributory invalidity pension. From central records we have been able to identify the women who might have been affected and the vast majority of them have now been told whether they are able to benefit from the judgment.
§ Mr. McCrindleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many men, single women and married women have undergone medical assessment of their disability when seeking severe disablement allowance; how many men, single women and married women have applied for the allowance; if he will give totals for each group; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottAt April 1987, the last date for which figures are available 22,185 people—5,095 men, 3,102 single or810W divorced women and widows, and 13,988 married women—had been medically examined in order to assess the extent of their disablement.
Since April 1987 statistics for severe disablement allowance have been collected on the same basis as those for sickness and invalidity benefit and updated information in the form requested is not available. As at 30 September 1988 some 121,000 claims for severe disablement allowance had been received. I regret a breakdown by sex and marital status is not available.