Written question asked by Winston Churchill (Conservative), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 12 December 1996. It was answered by Oliver Heald (Conservative) on Thursday, 12 December 1996 on behalf of the Department of Social Security.

Dept of Social Security

Question: When the changes he announced on 5th December to war disability pensions will be implemented.

Answer: Mr. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will now publish in full the revised medical opinion that determined the Government's proposals to alter in future the rules governing hearing loss deterioration in respect of war pension entitlement. [8732] Mr. Churchill: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the changes he announced on 5 December to war disability pensions will be implemented. [8848] Mr. Heald: There are two entirely separate and unconnected war pensions changes. The first is a package of measures to simplify the administration of war pensions which, subject to consultation with the Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions, will be introduced from 1 April 1997. The second is a change in medical opinion on the effect that noise induced sensorineural hearing loss has on a subsequent hearing loss due to other causes such as aging. Assessments made from 16 December 1996 will be based on the new medical opinion. Awards made prior to that date on the basis of the old medical advice will continue. The Secretary of State and my right hon. Friend, the Chief Secretary have decided to use the powers in the dispensing instruments to make awards on the old basis, where claims had been made before 1 March 1996, the date by which the departmental medical advisor considers medical opinion had conclusively changed.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 8848; 287 c356-7W
Session: 1996-97
Subjects: Applications Benefits rules Hearing impairment Diseases Medicine Social security benefits Research War pensions Hearing