"Act now to end this discrimination", Howarth urges government (Cambridge Liberal Democrats)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats <camlibdems@gmail.com>

"Act now to end this discrimination", Howarth urges government

February 17, 2009 11:48 AM

David Howarth MP Cambridge MP David Howarth has called on the government to move quickly to push through more cash help for blind people after the move won cross-party support.

Mr Howarth has backed, from the outset, a campaign which calls for people with severe sight loss to be eligible for a higher rate mobility payment through the Disability Living Allowance.

Now he has signed a Commons' motion which recognises the support for the idea from both opposition parties and urges the government to reach a prompt resolution.

He said: "This change to the Welfare Reform Bill is long overdue. It is now in the hands of the government to resolve this situation as a matter of urgency and give blind and partially sighted people this important extra benefit.

"These people have been discriminated against for far too long. Losing one's sight can have a devastating impact on a person's life and lead to isolation. This extra benefit gives these people the chance to be independently mobile and the government must recognise that."

Mr Howarth visited Cambridge's Cam Sight charity last autumn to hear first hand the problems people face when their sight fails, and gave his backing to the campaign for a fairer deal for blind people launched by the Royal National Institute for the Blind.

Anne Streather, Chief Executive of Cam Sight said: "Our members were delighted to meet David Howarth on his visit to Cam Sight. We greatly appreciated his interest and his particular support for this campaign which, if successful will make an immense difference to the lives of people with severe sight loss. Cam Sight would be very glad to have the opportunity to work further with David Howarth in the future."