Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Work and Pensions – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 2 February 2009.
Roger Gale
Conservative, North Thanet
2:30,
2 February 2009
The Minister will be aware that there are a significant number of expatriate pensioners living in France and other European countries who are suffering considerable poverty as a result of the Government's inability to honour the European Court's findings and to pay to them the Disability Living Allowance and other benefits to which they are entitled. When are the Government going to make a decision on that issue? [This section has been corrected on 9 February 2009, column 10MC — read correction]
Allowance for those who need help looking after themselves. Not means tested.
Factsheet from RNID here: http://www.rnid.org.uk/html/factsheets/benefits_disability_allowance_and_deaf_people.htm
Official page from Department for Work and Pensions here: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/disability_liv_allowance.asp
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
