§ Mr. O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what representations he has received on the question of members who serve on local authorities and are in receipt of invalidity pension having the invalidity pension disregarded when assessing the payment of allowances etc. for serving on their local council; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he has considered disregarding the payment of invalidity pension for those members who serve on local authorities and are disabled, when assessing payment of allowances to councillors; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he has discussed with local authority organisations the question of the disregard of invalidity pension for members of local authorities who are in receipt of invalidity benefit when receiving allowances for local government duties; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe question of entitlement to local authority allowances is the prerogative of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and is a matter over which we have no jurisdiction. I understand, however, that invalidity benefit has no bearing on the amount of local authority allowances payable.
Entitlement to invalidity benefit is dependent upon a person being incapable of work and is not, therefore, normally payable where any work is performed. However, following discussions with hon. Members and councillors' representatives special arrangements were introduced for councillors. These provide that councillors can receive invalidity benefit in full in addition to any local authority allowances to which they are entitled up to the level of the therapeutic earnings limit—currently £35 per week. Where local authority allowances for any week exceed this limit, invalidity benefit is reduced only by the excess. These arrangements have operated since May 1987 and continue unchanged.