Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-09-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many vehicles were purchased through the Motability scheme for each full calendar month in tax years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16; what the cost to the public purse was of those vehicles; and what the cost to the public purse was of vehicles purchased to replace vehicles earlier withdrawn from claimants who lost mobility allowance but later won return of that allowance on appeal.

Justin Tomlinson

The Department does not routinely collect information on the numbers of people who have had to return a Motability vehicle nor on whether they were successful on appeal. This information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Motability is an independent registered charity. It is not sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Department works closely with Motability and facilitates the transfer of benefit to Motability on behalf of those claimants who have chosen to join the Motability Scheme. The Scheme purchases vehicles which are then leased to Scheme customers. The purchase of the vehicles is funded by the Scheme and there is no cost to the public purse.

Responsibility for the charity’s policies and operational strategy falls to the Governors and Director of Motability. Motability is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme including collating its own management information. Questions about the number of vehicles returned to Motability and number of vehicles purchased can be sent to: Declan O’Mahony, Director, Motability, Warwick House, Roydon Road, Harlow, Essex CM19 5PX.