asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the level of the mobility allowance.

Mobility allowance was first proposed at a weekly rate of £4 and was introduced in January 1976, at £5 a week. In July 1978, we doubled the weekly rate to £10. This increase not merely kept pace with increased transport costs but improved the value of the allowance in real terms.It would be premature for me to anticipate what increases will be proposed following the general review of social security benefits in 1979.