§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will now reconsider the six-month rule relating to attendance allowance in order to ensure that there is no systematic failure to provide early stage community care for people with a proven attendance need arising out of chronic sickness or disability.
§ Mr. ScottThe provision of community care services is a matter for local authority social service departments who will consider clients' needs whether or not they are getting attendance allowance. We shall look at the six months waiting period for the allowance when we consider the future of disability benefits in the light of the results of the OPCS disability surveys. Meanwhile, we have already announced our intention to remove this waiting period for terminally ill people.