To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much real spending on long-term sick and disabled people has changed since 1979.

Expenditure for benefits on long-term sick and disabled people in 1992–93 was nearly £15 billion; nearly treble the 1979 level in real terms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures his Department has taken to maintain support for disabled people.

Since 1979 we have introduced a wide range of improvements, aimed at providing a comprehensive and coherent system of disability benefits. These improvements include the introduction of disability living allowance and disability working allowance in April last year.By the end of 1992–93 expenditure on benefits for long-term sick and disabled people has risen by 197 per cent. in real terms to £14·9 billion.