To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will consider the merits of automatically placing individuals with (a) Huntington's disease and (b) certain other conditions on employment support allowance. (312484)

Entitlement to employment and support allowance does not depend on an individual's diagnosis or condition, but on how severely a condition impacts on an individual's ability to function. This is in recognition of the fact that individuals with the same condition can experience varying functional effects. Accordingly, the assessment for benefit entitlement accurately identifies individuals for the most appropriate benefit and support, by focusing on the functional effects of a condition.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the criteria are for qualification for employment support allowances. (312485)

The basic qualification conditions for employment and support allowance are that the customer:

Has limited capability for work;

Is at least 16 years old;

Has not reached pensionable age;

Is in Great Britain;

Is not entitled to Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance.

There are additional conditions to determine if a customer is entitled to contributory and/or income-related employment and support allowance.