§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department is taking to ensure that claimants with disabling medical conditions are given due consideration in any assessment of eligibility for incapacity benefits; and if he will make it his policy that claimants' existing medical histories will be taken fully into account in these assessments.
§ Mr. ScottThe proposed new medical incapacity test will accurately assess the limiting effect of all medical conditions on a claimant's capacity for work. In applying the test, all relevant factors, including the claimant's medical history, will be taken into account.
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if people receiving the new incapacity benefit will be eligible for the income support disability premium from the 28th week of incapacity.
§ Mr. ScottThe new long-term rate of incapacity benefit, payable after 52 weeks, will act as a passport to the disability premium. For those who have no other means of entitlement to the disability premium, the period of incapacity needed to qualify will be 52 weeks.
§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the child dependant additions payable with incapacity benefit will be payable from the first day of incapacity.
§ Mr. ScottIncapacity benefit will follow the usual rule that child dependency increases are not payable with short-term contributory benefits, unless the beneficiary has reached pensionable age. They will not normally commence until long-term incapacity benefit comes into payment after 52 weeks.