§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what proposals he has for introducing legislation to disregard attendance on employment training courses by those entitled to adult dependency supplements to their invalidity benefit from before the introduction of the all-or-nothing earnings rule on 15 September 1985, for the purpose of protecting existing beneficiaries;
(2) on what date extra-statutory payments were cancelled for those previously entitled to adult dependency increases on top of their invalidity benefit and who have lost that entitlement due to attendance on an employment training course; what plans he has to issue new instructions restoring the right to make extra-statutory payments to this category of benefit claimants; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what is his current estimate of the number of claimants of invalidity benefit supplemented by adult dependency allowance dating back to before 15 September 1985, who have lost their allowance due to attendance on employment training courses since 1988; and how many successful claims there have been for extra-statutory payments equalling the lost adult dependency allowance and to what total estimated value.
§ Mr. ScottInformation on the number of invalidity benefit recipients with an adult dependency increase where entitlement ended due to attendance on employment training courses since 1988 is unavailable. By April 1991, the latest date for which figures are available, there had been five successful claims for extra-statutory payments to a total value of £2,477.70. Instructions to staff to make extra-statutory payments in affected cases were cancelled in error in January 1993, but are being reinstated today. The Government intend to bring forward legislation to place these payments on a statutory footing when a suitable opportunity arises.
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