Mark was one of the Scottish Labour MPs who led the fight for a change in the law which will mean the amount of money paid to blind people will increase by up to £1,500 a year. After a vote yesterday (Tuesday 17 March), blind people will now be entitled to the higher rate of Disability Living Allowance.

A new clause to the Welfare Reform Bill tabled last night by John Robertson, MP for Glasgow North West, was successfully passed by the House of Commons with Government support.

Previously, most blind people only received the lower rate of the mobility element of the Disability Living Allowance – which is designed to assist people who have difficulties getting out and about independently.

For a blind person on the lower rate this will mean a difference of £29 a week.

Over 220 MPs had signed a motion calling for change tabled by Anne Begg, MP for Aberdeen South, making it the most popular parliamentary motion this session. The amendment is the result of a long running campaign by RNIB and was signed by former Home Secretary David Blunkett MP.

Mark said:

“This is wonderful news for thousands of blind people across the country, which from 2011 will give themn essential extra money to travel in their local areas, access job opportunities, leisure and culture venues and visit froends and family.”

After the change was announced, Lesley-Anne Alexander, Chief Executive of RNIB said:

"We are overjoyed by this. It is a fantastic victory for people with severe visual impairment and for everybody who has supported RNIB’s two and a half year campaign to end this long standing injustice.

"The extra £29 a week really will change lives, giving people with severe visual impairment greater opportunities for employment, further education and social activities previous denied to them. It’s a key to their greater independence, safety and quality of life.

"RNIB thanks the Government for committing to make this much needed change, as well as all the MPs who have supported the campaign and their blind constituents."

John Robertson, MP, also commented:

“Today the Government have righted a long-standing wrong giving the liberty to blind people that many of us can take for granted and the mobility component will now finally live up to its name.

‘With the Tories withholding their support for this, while finding money for inheritance tax cuts for billionaires, it is a clear message of their priorities for the country if they ever get back into power. The SNP’s silence over this shows whose side they are really on.

‘I know that we would not have secured this change and the extra support for blind people under any other party. This is exactly what a Labour Government is for.’