Transport written question – answered at on 4 May 2011.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 31 March 2011, Official Report, columns 451-52W, on the Blue Badge Scheme, if he will provide funding to local authorities sufficient to ensure that all people over the age of 65 years who cannot claim the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance can be issued with a Blue Badge under the eligible subject to further assessment criteria.
Disabled people over the age of 65 can be issued with a Blue Badge if they meet one of the eligibility criteria in the regulations that govern the scheme. It would not be right to enable people to be issued with a badge solely on the basis of their age.
Central Government do not provide local authorities with specific funding for their general responsibilities for administering and enforcing the Blue Badge scheme. However, from April 2011, control of funds for eligibility assessments transferred from the NHS to badge issuing local authorities. This was done as part of the Department for Health's £1.3 billion Learning Disability and Health Reform Grant. In 2011-12, the Health Reform aspect includes £5.4 million for the Blue Badge scheme.
Yes1 person thinks so
No1 person thinks not
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