The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 300:

   "300A. Opinion of medical assessor   

(1) In determining a person's entitlement (whether in respect of a decision under section 300 or a revised decision under section 301) to a benefit, assistance or a respite care grant, as the case may be, the opinion of a medical assessor may be sought in respect of, but not limited to, any of the following questions:

(a) whether the person is -

(i) for the purposes of section 40 or section 74, as the case may be, incapable of work, or

(ii) for the purposes of section 118, permanently incapable of work;

(b) the level of restriction, for the purposes of section 46A, on the person's capacity for work in relation to the capacity for work of a person of the same age who has no restriction on his or her capacity for work;

(c) whether, for the purposes of Chapter 9 or Chapter 10 of Part 2, the woman concerned is expected to be or has been confined within the meaning of section 51;

(d) whether, for the purposes of section 72 -