§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many awards of the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance were made(a) between February 1992 and March 1993 and (b) between April 1993 to the present; and how many were made (i) on the grounds that the person was severely mentally impaired and displayed severe behavioural problems and (ii) under the deaf-blind provisions.
§ Mr. ScottThe information is in the table:
February 1992 to March 1993 April 1993 to November 1993 Deaf/blind provision 136 30 Severely mentally impaired 11,911 1308 All higher rate mobility components2 235,500 90,800 1 New claims awards only—does not include awards made following review or appeal. 2 The source for these figures is a 5 per cent, sample.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) requests for reviews and (b) appeals to a disability appeal tribunal concerning disability living allowance have been received by his Department.
§ Mr. ScottThere have been 292,404 reviews and 29,221 appeals registered from the introduction of disability living allowance to the month ending December 1993.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications have been received by his18W Department since May 1993 for (a) compensation and (b) ex-gratia payments resulting from delays in (i) disability living allowances and (ii) attendance allowance; and what was the number and percentage of successful applications and the total amounts awarded by each benefit.
§ Mr. ScottThe information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many payments have been made under the special compensation scheme for claimants who claimed(a) disability living allowance or (b) attendance allowance after February 1993; and what is the total amount paid.
§ Mr. ScottThe information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many disability working allowance claimants are expected to benefit from the child care allowance.
§ Mr. ScottAround 5 per cent. of the current disability working allowance case load is expected to gain from the new child care allowance.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what weekly increases will be made to recipients of(a) invalid care allowance, (b) industrial injuries benefit and (c) war pensions unemployability supplement from April specifically in respect of compensation for VAT on fuel.
§ Mr. ScottMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 30 November 1993 at columns437–50 his proposals for the uprating of benefits from April 1994. Included in the proposed rates of benefit is extra help, over price indexation, for costs arising from the introduction of VAT on domestic fuel, as follows:
Weekly amount/single person rate Pence (a) Invalid Care Allowance 20 (b) Industrial Injuries: disablement benefit — death benefit—higher rate 50 lower rate 15 unemployability supplement 50 Workmen's Compensation—Supplementation—Scheme—maximum rate of lesser incapacity allowance 20 Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit Scheme—partial disablement allowance 20 (c) War Pensions unemployability supplement 50
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will name the 80 experts convened to consider the details of the proposed medical test for incapacity benefit.
§ Mr. ScottI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Bradley) on 20 January at col.802.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many disability living allowance claims are being paid to parents on behalf of disabled children under the age of 16 years where the parents do not receive arty social security benefit by types of other income.
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§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number and percentage of the recipients of disability living allowance who are also in receipt of income support.
§ Mr. ScottThe latest information available is for 28 February 1993. Twenty-one per cent.—236,000—of the 1,145,000 people in receipt of disability living allowance were also receiving income support.
Note: The source for these figures is a 5 per cent. sample.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the reasons for paying severe disablement allowance, invalid care allowance and severe disability premium at different levels from April 1994; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottSevere disablement allowance, invalid care allowance and severe disability premium have all been uprated from April 1994 in line with the increase of 1.8 per cent. in the retail prices index. In addition, in line with our promise to provide help with the cost of VAT on fuel for certain groups, such as disabled people, 50p has been added to the weekly amount of severe disablement allowance, and 20p to the weekly amount of invalid care allowance. Anyone who is entitled to the severe disability premium will also be entitled to either the disability premium or the higher pensioner premium, both of which include an additional amount intended to help with the extra cost of fuel bills. To increase the severe disability premium as well would provide this help twice over.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what number and percentage of disability living allowance recipients are not in receipt of any social security benefit, by type of other income.