§ Q208. Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the contribution of the Department of Social Security to the Government's strategy against AIDS and HIV.
§ The Prime MinisterMinisters in the Department of Social Security have carefully considered the implications of AIDS and HIV for the relevant benefits in consultation with the Department of Health.
AIDS sufferers will benefit from the large number of measures recently announced as part of a package of benefit changes intended to improve the help available to disabled people. In particular, many who are in the advanced stages of the illness will benefit from the removal of the six-month qualifying period for attendance allowance for people with terminal illness. This also means that the income support disability premium may be paid sooner. This premium provides extra help to long-term sick or disabled people, currently £13.70 and increasing above normal uprating to £15.40 in April.
In addition to these measures, AIDS sufferers benefit particularly from the special disregard of payments from the Macfarlane Trust.