§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the advice to local authorities in Department of Health and Social Security circular 53/71 concerning the disregard of attendance allowance when setting charges for the home help service is still his Department's policy.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe legislation on which this circular was based was replaced by section 17 of the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983. We propose to issue guidance to authorities about their discretionary powers under this section.