§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) whether the disabled facilities grant is subject to a review; and if he will make a statement; [173864]
(2) what plans he has to abolish means testing of the disabled facilities grant; [173865]
(3) if he will raise the level of the maximum grant in order to compensate for any loss incurred through the operation of the means test for the disabled facilities grant. [173866]
§ Yvette CooperThe Government announced a review of the operation of the disabled facilities grant programme on 5 January 2004. In answer to a parliamentary question from my noble Friend Baroness Wilkins, my right hon. Friend Lord Rooker in the Other Place said that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, jointly with the Department of Health will be reviewing the disabled facilities grant programme, in the context of the Spending Review 2004,House of Lords, Official Report, columns 1–4. A number of financial and policy issues affecting the programme, including the operation of the means test and the maximum grant limit will be evaluated.
This review is now under way, and its conclusions will be announced in due course.