To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to abolish the six-month qualifying period for disability allowance; and if he will make a statement.

The proposed qualifying period for the new disability allowance which will be introduced in 1992 is three months. If the hon. Member has in mind the six-month qualifying period for attendance allowance, the current Social Security Bill includes provision to remove it for terminally ill people. We do not propose to abolish it for other people. Attendance allowance is targeted at people with long-term attendance needs, and the qualifying period ensures that resources are concentrated on that group.