§ Mr. Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) people and (b) vehicles have been supported in each year since 1995–96 for which figures are available, under the Invalid Vehicle Service. [146725]
§ Mr. HuttonI have been asked to reply.
The information requested is shown in the table.
At 31 March Drivers Vehicles 1995 1,197 11,405 1996 960 11,270 1997 821 1,215 1998 745 1,054 1999 630 951 2000 535 745 1 Numbers of vehicles in fleet in 1995 and 1996 are estimates as figures were not kept.
§ Mr. Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the effect of the closure of the invalid care allowance announced in July 1998. [146724]
733W
§ Mr. HuttonI have been asked to reply and understand that the hon. Member is referring to the Invalid Vehicle Service.
The decision to close the Invalid Vehicle Service on 31 March 2003 was taken after a thorough assessment by independent consultants of the likely effects of all available options. Ministers decided to accept the consultants' advice to close the service because the cost of maintaining an ageing fleet of vehicles was likely to rise while the number of people supported declined rapidly. Since then technical officers from the Invalid Vehicle Service have visited each remaining driver to discuss their future needs. Each driver's full circumstances will be taken into account and each will be advised on the option most suited to his or her needs.