§ Sir John HannamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide for disabled persons who, because of low earnings, are entitled to disability working allowance to be exempt from national health service charges; and if she will make a statement.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThere are no plans to exempt recipients of disability working allowance from NHS charges. Disability working allowance recipients may qualify for NHS charge remission on grounds of low income under the NHS low income scheme.
§ Sir John HannamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated cost of exempting all disability working allowance recipients from national health service charges.
§ Dr. MawhinneyCurrent estimates indicate that extending NHS charge exemption to everyone expected to qualify for disability working allowance would increase the Department's programme expenditure by over £3 million in a full year.