§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will extend the rules to make sure that people whose application forms for help with National Health Service costs have been awaiting the outcome of a review of the relevant statutory instruments will not be disbarred from claiming a refund although it is longer than one month since the relevant expenditure occurred;
(2) when he will make a revised statutory instrument covering claims for help with National Health Service costs; and how many applications for help with National Health Service costs from people with non-dependent people living with them are being stockpiled at Newcastle, awaiting such an instrument;
(3) why the agency benefit unit in Newcastle dealing with claims for help with National Health Service costs is unable to deal with claims relating to people who have non-dependents living with them.
§ Mr. MellorThe agency benefits unit has stockpiled 9,809 cases involving non-dependants because they are awaiting permission from this Department not to make inquiries of local authorities in cases where housing benefit in the form of rent rebate or rent allowance is payable. This request is being given urgent attention. Sympathetic consideration will be given to any claims for refunds outside the one month time limit where claims for help have been delayed at the agency benefits unit.
Amendment of the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) Regulations 1988 will be necessary to give effect to the Government's intentions when making these regulations.