§ Baroness Gardner of Parkesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What basis of assessment is to be used by local authorities to identify the sufferers from Alzheimer's disease who are to be eligible for relief from community charge, in view of the statement in The Times of 19th October that diagnoses can only be confined to post mortem.
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§ Lord HeskethThe article to which the noble Baroness refers was based on a misunderstanding of the Government's proposals. The extension of the community charge exemption for people who are severely mentally impaired will not be confined to sufferers from Alzheimer's disease, and no specific illness or condition will be referred to in the amended definition. Any person whose social functioning and intelligence are severely impaired, whatever the cause, will be exempt from the community charge, provided they are entitled to certain benefits, including attendance allowance, and provided they have a certificate from a doctor stating that they are severely mentally impaired.