LABOUR MPs have accused the Government of delaying a Bill to allow disabled people to use government cash to tailor their own personal care schemes.

The Government has been defeated twice over a provIsion to allow the over-65s to make use of the proposed new system.

Ministers want to ban the over 65s from the scheme set out in the Community Care (Direct Payments) Bill. But with Independent Tory Peter Thurnham voting against, they lost two key votes in committee stage.

Now Hyndburn MP Greg Pope and his Burnley Labour colleague Peter Pike want the Bill debated by the Commons. But more than a month after it finished in committee, there is no sign of the Bill coming to the Commons.

Mr Pope said: "There is no excuse for this interminable delay of for the Government's failure to set a date for the next stage."

Mr Pike said: "Ministers are hiding from their embarrassment over defeats in committee. They are delaying progress because they are afraid of a further defeat in the House of Commons."

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