§ Mr. Andrew WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide estimated figures of disabled people for Scotland by Office of Population Censuses and Surveys disability categories for the years since 1978.
§ Mr. ScottI regret that the information is not available. Only the OPCS disability surveys themselves provide information at the level of detail requested, based on data collected between 1985 and 1988.
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he is able to give a firm date for the publication of proposals to alter social security benefits for disabled people.
§ Mr. ScottI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 14 November at column167.
158W
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to include social security provision for informal carers in his proposals to change the benefits for disabled people.
§ Mr. ScottWe have already confirmed our policy to provide extra help for informal carers in the range of measures announced by my right hon. Friend on 25 October. The measures include the introduction of a £10 carers premium in income support and housing benefit for people receiving invalid care allowance; an increase in the earnings rule for invalid care allowance; and the extension of invalid care allowance to those caring for people who will qualify for attendance allowance for the first time as a result of the other measures announced.
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a complete list of all the research commissioned by his Department in connection with the proposals to change benefits for disabled people.
§ Mr. Nicholas ScottThe information is as follows:
- 1. Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) surveys of disability in Great Britain—six reports published between September 1988 and July 1989.
- 2. Department of Social Security study, based on the family expenditure survey, to compare the financial circumstances of households with and without a disabled person.
- 3. Social policy research unit (SPRU), university of York study of 12 to 20-year olds' transition to adulthood.
- 4. IFF Research Limited market research report on occupational sick pay schemes published in June 1988.
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what form his proposals for changes to social security benefits for disabled people will be presented to Parliament.
§ Mr. ScottI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 28 November at column217.
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions have taken place in connection with proposals to alter social security benefits for disabled people with voluntary organisations of disabled people and their families.
§ Mr. ScottDiscussions have taken place with a number of organisations representing disabled people including the Disability Benefits Consortium which represents over 250 disability organisations. We will be meeting the Consortium again shortly. We have also received a large number of comments from individuals and organisations as a result of the OPCS surveys of disability.