NEW BENEFITS DOWNRATING RULES

Early day motion 988, tabled 12 March 2002 by Ashok Kumar (Labour). Signed by 54 members.

That this House supports the principle behind hospital downrating rules, preventing the state making double provision for someone's day-to-day living expenses, recognises that costs such as gas and electricity bills do not stop immediately on entering hospital; and welcomes the announced changes to the downrating process which more than double the time over which pensioners and other people claiming certain benefits will be able to keep their full value after they enter hospital from six to 13 weeks.

Signatures by party: Labour 49, Labour/Co-operative 4, UUP 1.