ACCESS TO MOTABILITY FOR SEVERELY DISABLED CHILDREN UNDER THREE

Early day motion 1814, tabled 26 October 2004 by Martin Caton (Labour). Signed by 77 members.

That this house congratulates the Government for reducing the minimum age for eligibility for the mobility component of disability living allowance, and, therefore, motability from five to three, in 2001; appreciates that this change has benefited many families with disabled children who are three and four years old; acknowledges, however, that some severely disabled children under the age of three need the continual availability of large items of special equipment such as pump feeding or respiratory aid systems; welcomes innovations in posture protecting seating and standing technology for earliest years' use in conditions like cerebral palsy, which can reduce pain, improve physical development and obviate the need for later surgery; recognises, however, that the weight, size and rigidity of this equipment often make it impossible to take with the child in an unadapted family car or by public transport; and calls, therefore, on the Government to make the mobility component of disability living allowance available to families where best care of a disabled child under three requires the use of exceptional vehicle space or a specially adapted vehicle.

Signatures by party: Labour 51, Liberal Democrat 10, Labour/Co-operative 6, Conservative 3, DUP 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.