ACCESS TO MOTABILITY FOR SEVERELY DISABLED CHILDREN UNDER THREE

Early day motion 321, tabled 14 June 2005 by Martin Caton (Labour). Signed by 48 members.

That this House congratulates the Government on reducing the minimum age for eligibility for the mobility component of disability living allowance, and, therefore, Motability, from five to three years, 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 years 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 celebral palsy, which can reduce pain, improve physical development and obviate the need for later surgery; recognises that the weight, size and rigidity of this equipment often make it impossible to take the child in an unadapted family car or by public transport; and therefore calls on the Government to make the mobility component of disability living allowance available to families where best care of a disabled child under three years requires the use of exceptional vehicle space or a specially adapted vehicle.

Signatures by party: Labour 31, Liberal Democrat 7, DUP 4, Plaid Cymru 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Conservative 1, UUP 1.