asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to appoint a disabled person to the Social Security Advisory Committee.

My right hon. Friend is already required by section 9 and schedule 3 to the Social Security Act 1980 to include among the members of the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) a person who has experience of work among, and of the needs of, the chronically sick and disabled; and to consider appointing, as the member with this experience, a person who is himself chronically sick or disabled.