The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1990-1997

1983-1987 Parliament

Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Blind People – 12 December 1986

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Blind People on 12th December 1986.


Mr. Carter-Jones Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what bodies he has consulted in his Department’s review of form BD8 for blind people;
(2) what progress has been made in the review of form BD8;
(3) when the review of form BD8 began; and when he expects to be able to announce conclusions;
(4) what representations and recommendations he has received from the Royal National Institute for the Blind about the review of the form BD8.

Mr. Major In August 1983 we issued a consultation document to the relevant statutory, professional and voluntary bodies, including the Royal National Institute for the Blind, which have since pressed for a decision. Work is proceeding within the Department and we will announce a decision as soon as possible. The full list of organisations consulted is:

Association for the Education and Welfare of the Visually Handicapped
Association of County Councils
Association of Directors of Social Services
Association of District Medical Officers
Association of Metropolitan Authorities
Association of Nurse Administrators
Association of Optical Practitioners
British Association of Social Workers
British College of Ophthalmic Opticians
British Medical Association, General Medical Services Committee
British Medical Association, Ophthalmic Group Committee
British Paediatrics Association
Community Medicine Consultative Committee
Disabled Living Foundation
Faculty of Ophthalmologists
Health Visitors Association
Hospital for Sick Children Special Health Authority
Joint Consultants Committee
London Boroughs Association
Medical Research Council
Moorfields Eye Hospital Special Health Authority
National Association of Orientation and Mobility Instructors
National Association of Technical Officers for the Blind
National Federation of the Blind
National League of the Blind and Disabled
North Regional Association for the Blind
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys
Partially Sighted Society
Regional Health Authorities
Residential Care Association
Royal College of General Practitioners
Royal College of Nursing
Royal National Institute for the Blind
Society of Nurse Advisers (Child Health)
Southern and Western Regional Association for the Blind
Visual Impairment Association