asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to extend the mobility allowance to disabled people over the age of 51 years; and if he will make a statement.

I am glad to be able to tell my hon. Friend that we shall shortly be making a further commencement order to enable claims to mobility allowance to be made by people who were born on or after 25th August 1923. Claims will be accepted from 25th May 1977, and payment of the allowance will start on 24th August 1977. This means that people aged between 5 and 53 will now be eligible for the new allowance.