§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will exclude works pensions from income calculations for disabled facilities grant;
(2) if he will revise disabled facilities grant regulations to take account of average mortgage payments;
(3) if he will encourage the use of disabled facilities grant in cases where rehousing effectively and economically meets the needs of disabled people;
(4) what plans he has to amend disabled facilities grant regulations.
§ Sir George YoungThe Department is currently reviewing options for change to the house renovation grant system in the light of responses to the consultation paper issued on 21 June. This review covers disabled facilities grants and will include the points raised by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications for disabled facilities grant have been(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful, in each year since 1990.
§ Sir George YoungThe number of successful applications for disabled facilities grants for England and for Wales is shown in table 2.19 of the publication "Housing and Construction Statistics—Part 2". Figures for the number of disabled facilities grants paid out for individual local authorities is shown in the publication "Local Housing Statistics". Copies of these publications are available in the Library.
The Department does not have any information about unsuccessful applications for the disabled facilities grant.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies have been undertaken to identify the number of disabled facilities grant claimants who have received financial assistance from local authority social services departments; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Sir George YoungThe Department is not aware of any such studies undertaken or of any planned for the future.